diff --git a/server/webdriver/shared_tests/place_explorer_test.py b/server/webdriver/shared_tests/place_explorer_test.py
index c32c276624..e7d7dd5ab9 100644
--- a/server/webdriver/shared_tests/place_explorer_test.py
+++ b/server/webdriver/shared_tests/place_explorer_test.py
@@ -180,10 +180,16 @@ def test_explorer_redirect_place_explorer(self):
     # Assert 200 HTTP code: successful page load.
     self.assertEqual(shared.safe_url_open(self.driver.current_url), 200)
 
-    # Assert page title is correct.
+    # Assert page title is correct, and that the query string is set in the url.
     WebDriverWait(self.driver, self.TIMEOUT_SEC).until(
         EC.title_contains('United States of America'))
-    self.assertTrue("place/country/USA" in self.driver.current_url)
+    self.assertTrue("place/country/USA?q=United%20States%20Of%20America" in
+                    self.driver.current_url)
+
+    # Ensure the query string is set in the NL Search Bar.
+    search_bar = self.driver.find_element(By.ID, "query-search-input")
+    self.assertEqual(search_bar.get_attribute("value"),
+                     "United States Of America")
 
   def test_ranking_chart_present(self):
     """Test basic ranking chart."""
diff --git a/static/js/apps/base/components/header_bar/header_bar_search.tsx b/static/js/apps/base/components/header_bar/header_bar_search.tsx
index e6b1ef35b0..db0d87363c 100644
--- a/static/js/apps/base/components/header_bar/header_bar_search.tsx
+++ b/static/js/apps/base/components/header_bar/header_bar_search.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ interface HeaderBarSearchProps {
   gaValueSearchSource?: string;
 }
 
+// The search query param name. Used to pre-populate the search bar.
+const QUERY_PARAM = "q";
+
 const HeaderBarSearch = ({
   inputId = "query-search-input",
   searchBarHashMode,
@@ -47,6 +50,14 @@ const HeaderBarSearch = ({
 }: HeaderBarSearchProps): ReactElement => {
   const { queryString, placeholder, queryResult, debugData } = useQueryStore();
 
+  // Get the query string from the url params.
+  const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+  const urlQuery = urlParams.get(QUERY_PARAM) || "";
+
+  // If the search bar is in hash mode, use the query string from the url params.
+  // Otherwise, use the query string from the query store.
+  const initialValue = searchBarHashMode ? queryString : urlQuery;
+
   return (
     <div className="header-search">
       <NlSearchBar
@@ -75,7 +86,7 @@ const HeaderBarSearch = ({
           }
         }}
         placeholder={placeholder}
-        initialValue={queryString}
+        initialValue={initialValue}
         shouldAutoFocus={false}
       />
       <DebugInfo debugData={debugData} queryResult={queryResult}></DebugInfo>
diff --git a/static/js/apps/explore/app.tsx b/static/js/apps/explore/app.tsx
index 1d51e89b7c..0b4384ef20 100644
--- a/static/js/apps/explore/app.tsx
+++ b/static/js/apps/explore/app.tsx
@@ -196,7 +196,18 @@ export function App(props: AppProps): ReactElement {
     return hasPlace || fulfillData["entities"];
   }
 
-  function processFulfillData(fulfillData: any, shouldSetQuery: boolean): void {
+  /**
+   * Process the fulfill data from the search API response.
+   *
+   * This processes the fulfill data by setting up page metadata, debug data, and user
+   * messages for rendering the explore page. However, if the fulfill response only
+   * contains place information, a page overview configuration, but no charts, it will
+   * redirect to /place/{placeDcid} instead.
+   *
+   * @param fulfillData The fulfill data from the search API response
+   * @param userQuery The user's search query
+   */
+  function processFulfillData(fulfillData: any, userQuery?: string): void {
     setDebugData(fulfillData["debug"]);
     setStoreDebugData(fulfillData["debug"]);
     const userMessage = {
@@ -238,7 +249,8 @@ export function App(props: AppProps): ReactElement {
       isPendingRedirect = shouldSkipPlaceOverview(pageMetadata);
       if (isPendingRedirect) {
         const placeDcid = pageMetadata.place.dcid;
-        const url = `/place/${placeDcid}`;
+        // If the user has a query, append it to the url
+        const url = `/place/${placeDcid}${userQuery ? `?q=${userQuery}` : ""}`;
         window.location.replace(url);
       }
       // Note: for category links, we only use the main-topic.
@@ -253,7 +265,7 @@ export function App(props: AppProps): ReactElement {
         }
       }
       if (
-        shouldSetQuery &&
+        !userQuery &&
         !_.isEmpty(pageMetadata.mainTopics) &&
         pageMetadata.place.name
       ) {
@@ -347,7 +359,7 @@ export function App(props: AppProps): ReactElement {
         includeStopWords
       )
         .then((resp) => {
-          processFulfillData(resp, false);
+          processFulfillData(resp, query);
         })
         .catch(() => {
           setLoadingStatus(LoadingStatus.FAILED);
@@ -371,7 +383,7 @@ export function App(props: AppProps): ReactElement {
         client
       )
         .then((resp) => {
-          processFulfillData(resp, true);
+          processFulfillData(resp);
         })
         .catch(() => {
           setLoadingStatus(LoadingStatus.FAILED);