Index: channels/search.py
==================================================================
--- channels/search.py
+++ channels/search.py
@@ -32,10 +32,24 @@
 class search (AuxiliaryWindow):
 
     # either current channel, or last channel (avoid searching in bookmarks)
     current = None
 
+    # button + hook
+    def __init__(self, parent):
+        AuxiliaryWindow.__init__(self, parent)
+        parent.searchbtn.connect("clicked", self.menu_search)
+        self.show_searchbtn()
+        parent.hooks["config_save"].append(self.show_searchbtn)
+
+    def show_searchbtn(self):
+        active = "searchbtn" in conf and conf.searchbtn
+        btn = self.main.searchbtn
+        btn.show()
+        btn.set_property("visible", active)
+        btn.set_property("visible_horizontal", active)
+
     # show search dialog   
     def menu_search(self, w):
         self.search_dialog.show_all();
         # Update (x) current_channel checkbox
         if not self.current or self.main.current_channel != "bookmarks":

Index: config.py
==================================================================
--- config.py
+++ config.py
@@ -154,10 +154,11 @@
         self.google_homepage = 0
         self.open_mode = "r" if self.windows and PY2 else "rt"
         self.pyquery = 1
         self.debug = 0
         self.status_color = "#ffeecc"
+        self.searchbtn = 0
 
     # update old setting names
     def migrate(self):
         # 2.1.7
         if self.tmp == "/tmp":