diff --git a/src/views/users.html b/src/views/users.html
index 42ec9b430..f1d8726e6 100644
--- a/src/views/users.html
+++ b/src/views/users.html
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@
       <button class="btn btn-primary btn-outline pull-right" ng-click="useradd.show()">
         <i class="fa fa-user-plus"></i> {{ 'users.newUserAction' | tr }}
       </button>
-      <input type="text" class="form-control pull-right" style="max-width: 350px;" ng-model="userSearchString" ng-model-options="{ debounce: 1000 }" ng-change="updateFilter()" placeholder="{{ 'main.searchPlaceholder' | tr }}"/>
+      <input type="text" id="userSearchInput" class="form-control pull-right" style="max-width: 350px;" ng-model="userSearchString" ng-model-options="{ debounce: 1000 }" ng-change="updateFilter()" placeholder="{{ 'main.searchPlaceholder' | tr }}"/>
     </h1>
   </div>
 
diff --git a/src/views/users.js b/src/views/users.js
index bc4930dee..92c236a26 100644
--- a/src/views/users.js
+++ b/src/views/users.js
@@ -977,6 +977,9 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('UsersController', ['$scope', '$locatio
             { id: 'admin', name: $translate.instant('users.role.admin'), disabled: !$scope.user.isAtLeastAdmin },
             { id: 'owner', name: $translate.instant('users.role.owner'), disabled: !$scope.user.isAtLeastOwner }
         ];
+
+        // give search the initial focus
+        setTimeout(function () { $('#userSearchInput').focus(); }, 1);
     });
 
     // setup all the dialog focus handling