diff --git a/scipost/static/scipost/assets/css/_navbar.scss b/scipost/static/scipost/assets/css/_navbar.scss
index 52219a18b6f79ed6cf4ee3a02a6beeddda7543f3..9995034012bda28b480bee1fe2e4455214de385c 100644
--- a/scipost/static/scipost/assets/css/_navbar.scss
+++ b/scipost/static/scipost/assets/css/_navbar.scss
@@ -161,10 +161,13 @@
         margin: 0 !important;
         padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
         height: 100%;
-        border: 6px solid $gray-800;
-        border-left-width: 8px;
-        width: 150px;
-        transition: 0.05s;
+        // border: 6px solid $gray-800;
+        border: 0;
+        // border-left-width: 8px;
+        background-color: #485058;
+        color: #fff;
+        width: 100px;
+        transition: 0.1s;
     }
 
     &:active input[name="q"],
diff --git a/scipost/templates/scipost/navbar.html b/scipost/templates/scipost/navbar.html
index 7fbe95ddd9d52e5f8387c910d01bd2c001798a9f..f9a9317851e7ce210a3c85727b3c77400014cfa1 100644
--- a/scipost/templates/scipost/navbar.html
+++ b/scipost/templates/scipost/navbar.html
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 
             </ul>
             <form action="{% url 'scipost:search' %}" method="get" class="form-inline search-nav-form">
-                <input class="form-control mr-sm-2" id="id_q" maxlength="100" name="q" type="text" required="required" aria-label="Search" value="{{ search_query|default:'Search term...' }}">
+                <input class="form-control mr-sm-2" id="id_q" maxlength="100" name="q" type="text" aria-label="Search" value="{{ search_query|default:'' }}">
                 <button class="btn my-0" type="submit"><i class="fa fa-search"></i> Search</button>
             </form>
         </nav>