diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/govuk_publishing_components/components/_search.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/govuk_publishing_components/components/_search.scss
index be9c49cbd2..6f8d9fec9a 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/govuk_publishing_components/components/_search.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/govuk_publishing_components/components/_search.scss
@@ -34,11 +34,8 @@ $large-input-size: 50px;
   }
 }
 
-// stylelint-disable selector-max-id
-.gem-c-search__input[type="search"],
-#global-header .gem-c-search__input[type="search"] { // overly specific to prevent some overrides from outside
+.gem-c-search__input[type="search"] { // overly specific to prevent some overrides from outside
   @include govuk-font($size: 19, $line-height: (28 / 19));
-
   padding: 6px;
   margin: 0;
   width: 100%;
@@ -73,6 +70,13 @@ $large-input-size: 50px;
   }
 }
 
+@include govuk-compatibility(govuk_template) {
+  //  ultra specific rule overrides focus styling from govuk_template
+  #global-header .gem-c-search__input[type="search"]:focus { // stylelint-disable selector-max-id
+    @extend .gem-c-search__input[type="search"]:focus; // stylelint-disable scss/at-extend-no-missing-placeholder
+  }
+}
+
 .gem-c-search__submit {
   border: 0;
   cursor: pointer;