diff --git a/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.html b/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.html
index d701742896..609f50d887 100644
--- a/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.html
+++ b/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       mat-icon-button
       matPrefix
       class="app-search-button"
-      (click)="searchSubmit(searchTerm)"
+      (click)="searchSubmit()"
       [title]="'SEARCH.BUTTON.TOOLTIP' | translate"
     >
       <mat-icon [attr.aria-label]="'SEARCH.BUTTON.ARIA-LABEL' | translate">search</mat-icon>
@@ -17,15 +17,14 @@
       [attr.aria-label]="'SEARCH.INPUT.ARIA-LABEL' | translate"
       [type]="inputType"
       id="app-control-input"
-      [(ngModel)]="searchTerm"
-      (ngModelChange)="inputChange($event)"
-      (keyup.enter)="searchSubmit($event)"
+      [formControl]="searchFieldFormControl"
+      (keyup.enter)="searchSubmit()"
       [placeholder]="'SEARCH.INPUT.PLACEHOLDER' | translate"
       autocomplete="off"
     />
     <div matSuffix>
       <button mat-icon-button (click)="clear()">
-        <mat-icon *ngIf="searchTerm.length" class="app-suffix-icon">clear</mat-icon>
+        <mat-icon *ngIf="searchFieldFormControl.value.length" class="app-suffix-icon">clear</mat-icon>
       </button>
     </div>
   </mat-form-field>
diff --git a/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.spec.ts b/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.spec.ts
index 6af6c27bb3..e667a4e80a 100644
--- a/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.spec.ts
+++ b/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.spec.ts
@@ -43,31 +43,29 @@ describe('SearchInputControlComponent', () => {
   });
 
   it('should emit submit event on searchSubmit', () => {
-    const keyboardEvent = { target: { value: 'a' } };
+    component.searchTerm = 'mock-search-term';
 
-    let eventArgs = null;
-    component.submit.subscribe((args) => (eventArgs = args));
+    let submittedSearchTerm = '';
+    component.submit.subscribe((searchTerm) => (submittedSearchTerm = searchTerm));
 
-    component.searchSubmit(keyboardEvent);
-    expect(eventArgs).toBe(keyboardEvent);
+    component.searchSubmit();
+    expect(submittedSearchTerm).toBe('mock-search-term');
   });
 
   it('should emit searchChange event on inputChange', () => {
-    const searchTerm = 'b';
+    let emittedSearchTerm = '';
+    component.searchChange.subscribe((searchTerm) => (emittedSearchTerm = searchTerm));
+    component.searchTerm = 'mock-search-term';
 
-    let eventArgs = null;
-    component.searchChange.subscribe((args) => (eventArgs = args));
-
-    component.inputChange(searchTerm);
-    expect(eventArgs).toBe(searchTerm);
+    expect(emittedSearchTerm).toBe('mock-search-term');
   });
 
   it('should emit searchChange event on clear', () => {
-    let eventArgs = null;
-    component.searchChange.subscribe((args) => (eventArgs = args));
+    let emittedSearchTerm: string = null;
+    component.searchChange.subscribe((searchTerm) => (emittedSearchTerm = searchTerm));
 
     component.clear();
-    expect(eventArgs).toBe('');
+    expect(emittedSearchTerm).toBe('');
   });
 
   it('should clear searchTerm', () => {
diff --git a/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.ts b/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.ts
index 23259a0f2d..3186fa9809 100644
--- a/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.ts
+++ b/projects/aca-content/src/lib/components/search/search-input-control/search-input-control.component.ts
@@ -22,25 +22,28 @@
  * from Hyland Software. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-import { Component, ElementRef, EventEmitter, Input, Output, ViewChild, ViewEncapsulation } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, EventEmitter, Input, Output, ViewEncapsulation, ViewChild, ElementRef, OnInit, inject, DestroyRef } from '@angular/core';
 import { CommonModule } from '@angular/common';
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { MatButtonModule } from '@angular/material/button';
 import { MatIconModule } from '@angular/material/icon';
 import { MatFormFieldModule } from '@angular/material/form-field';
 import { MatInputModule } from '@angular/material/input';
-import { FormsModule } from '@angular/forms';
+import { FormControl, FormsModule, ReactiveFormsModule } from '@angular/forms';
+import { takeUntilDestroyed } from '@angular/core/rxjs-interop';
 
 @Component({
   standalone: true,
-  imports: [CommonModule, TranslateModule, MatButtonModule, MatIconModule, MatFormFieldModule, MatInputModule, FormsModule],
+  imports: [CommonModule, TranslateModule, MatButtonModule, MatIconModule, MatFormFieldModule, MatInputModule, FormsModule, ReactiveFormsModule],
   selector: 'app-search-input-control',
   templateUrl: './search-input-control.component.html',
   styleUrls: ['./search-input-control.component.scss'],
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
   host: { class: 'app-search-control' }
 })
-export class SearchInputControlComponent {
+export class SearchInputControlComponent implements OnInit {
+  private readonly destroyRef = inject(DestroyRef);
+
   /** Type of the input field to render, e.g. "search" or "text" (default). */
   @Input()
   inputType = 'text';
@@ -63,14 +66,27 @@ export class SearchInputControlComponent {
   @ViewChild('searchInput', { static: true })
   searchInput: ElementRef;
 
-  searchTerm = '';
+  searchFieldFormControl = new FormControl('');
+
+  get searchTerm(): string {
+    return this.searchFieldFormControl.value.replace('text:', 'TEXT:');
+  }
+
+  set searchTerm(value: string) {
+    this.searchFieldFormControl.setValue(value);
+  }
 
-  searchSubmit(event: any) {
-    this.submit.emit(event);
+  ngOnInit() {
+    this.searchFieldFormControl.valueChanges.pipe(takeUntilDestroyed(this.destroyRef)).subscribe((searchTermValue) => {
+      this.searchFieldFormControl.markAsTouched();
+      this.searchChange.emit(searchTermValue);
+    });
   }
 
-  inputChange(event: any) {
-    this.searchChange.emit(event);
+  searchSubmit() {
+    if (!this.searchFieldFormControl.errors) {
+      this.submit.emit(this.searchTerm);
+    }
   }
 
   clear() {