diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/search-input.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/search-input.js
index aea9a903d9f52c..3a90bfb75344b6 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/search-input.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/search-input.js
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ import LinkControlSearchResults from './search-results';
 import { CREATE_TYPE } from './constants';
 import useSearchHandler from './use-search-handler';
 
-const noopSearchHandler = Promise.resolve( [] );
+// Must be a function as otherwise URLInput will default
+// to the fetchLinkSuggestions passed in block editor settings
+// which will cause an unintended http request.
+const noopSearchHandler = () => Promise.resolve( [] );
+
 const LinkControlSearchInput = forwardRef(
 	(
 		{
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@ const LinkControlSearchInput = forwardRef(
 			withCreateSuggestion,
 			withURLSuggestion
 		);
+
 		const searchHandler = showSuggestions
 			? fetchSuggestions || genericSearchHandler
 			: noopSearchHandler;
diff --git a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/test/index.js b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/test/index.js
index 970302c08b69ef..27e1665d869ff2 100644
--- a/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/test/index.js
+++ b/packages/block-editor/src/components/link-control/test/index.js
@@ -371,6 +371,31 @@ describe( 'Searching for a link', () => {
 		expect( mockFetchSuggestionsFirstArg ).toEqual( 'Hello' );
 	} );
 
+	it( 'should not call search handler when showSuggestions is false', async () => {
+		act( () => {
+			render( <LinkControl showSuggestions={ false } />, container );
+		} );
+
+		// Search Input UI
+		const searchInput = getURLInput();
+
+		// Simulate searching for a term
+		act( () => {
+			Simulate.change( searchInput, {
+				target: { value: 'anything' },
+			} );
+		} );
+
+		const searchResultElements = getSearchResults();
+
+		// fetchFauxEntitySuggestions resolves on next "tick" of event loop
+		await eventLoopTick();
+
+		// TODO: select these by aria relationship to autocomplete rather than arbitrary selector.
+		expect( searchResultElements ).toHaveLength( 0 );
+		expect( mockFetchSearchSuggestions ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	} );
+
 	it.each( [
 		[ 'couldbeurlorentitysearchterm' ],
 		[ 'ThisCouldAlsoBeAValidURL' ],