diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/browsertab.py b/qutebrowser/browser/browsertab.py
index 672f20d68..f133a1646 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/browsertab.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/browsertab.py
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ class AbstractSearch(QObject):
         super().__init__(parent)
         self._widget = None
         self.text = None
+        # Implementing classes will set this.
+        self.search_displayed = False
 
     def search(self, text, *, ignore_case=False, reverse=False,
                result_cb=None):
@@ -196,10 +198,6 @@ class AbstractSearch(QObject):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def searching(self):
-        """Return True if we are currently searching or not."""
-        raise NotImplementedError
-
 
 class AbstractZoom(QObject):
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webengine/webenginetab.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webengine/webenginetab.py
index 657b6e6da..e460af049 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webengine/webenginetab.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webengine/webenginetab.py
@@ -127,11 +127,11 @@ class WebEngineSearch(browsertab.AbstractSearch):
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
         self._flags = QWebEnginePage.FindFlags(0)
-        self._searching = False
+        self.search_displayed = False
 
     def _find(self, text, flags, callback, caller):
         """Call findText on the widget."""
-        self._searching = True
+        self.search_displayed = True
 
         def wrapped_callback(found):
             """Wrap the callback to do debug logging."""
@@ -163,12 +163,9 @@ class WebEngineSearch(browsertab.AbstractSearch):
         self._find(text, flags, result_cb, 'search')
 
     def clear(self):
-        self._searching = False
+        self.search_displayed = False
         self._widget.findText('')
 
-    def searching(self):
-        return self._searching
-
     def prev_result(self, *, result_cb=None):
         # The int() here makes sure we get a copy of the flags.
         flags = QWebEnginePage.FindFlags(int(self._flags))
@@ -256,10 +253,10 @@ class WebEngineCaret(browsertab.AbstractCaret):
     def _follow_selected_cb(self, js_elem, tab=False):
         """Callback for javascript which clicks the selected element.
 
-         Args:
-             js_elems: The elements serialized from javascript.
-             tab: Open in a new tab or not.
-         """
+        Args:
+            js_elems: The elements serialized from javascript.
+            tab: Open in a new tab or not.
+        """
         if js_elem is None:
             return
         assert isinstance(js_elem, dict), js_elem
@@ -276,7 +273,7 @@ class WebEngineCaret(browsertab.AbstractCaret):
             elem.click(click_type)
 
     def follow_selected(self, *, tab=False):
-        if self._tab.search.searching():
+        if self._tab.search.search_displayed:
             # We are currently in search mode.
             # let's click the link via a fake-click
             # https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-60673
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkittab.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkittab.py
index 44df236a2..0cf83e2a7 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkittab.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webkit/webkittab.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class WebKitSearch(browsertab.AbstractSearch):
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
         self._flags = QWebPage.FindFlags(0)
-        self._searching = True
+        self.search_displayed = True
 
     def _call_cb(self, callback, found, text, flags, caller):
         """Call the given callback if it's non-None.
@@ -133,14 +133,14 @@ class WebKitSearch(browsertab.AbstractSearch):
             QTimer.singleShot(0, functools.partial(callback, found))
 
     def clear(self):
-        self._searching = False
+        self.search_displayed = False
         # We first clear the marked text, then the highlights
         self._widget.findText('')
         self._widget.findText('', QWebPage.HighlightAllOccurrences)
 
     def search(self, text, *, ignore_case=False, reverse=False,
                result_cb=None):
-        self._searching = True
+        self.search_displayed = True
         flags = QWebPage.FindWrapsAroundDocument
         if ignore_case == 'smart':
             if not text.islower():
@@ -158,12 +158,12 @@ class WebKitSearch(browsertab.AbstractSearch):
         self._call_cb(result_cb, found, text, flags, 'search')
 
     def next_result(self, *, result_cb=None):
-        self._searching = True
+        self.search_displayed = True
         found = self._widget.findText(self.text, self._flags)
         self._call_cb(result_cb, found, self.text, self._flags, 'next_result')
 
     def prev_result(self, *, result_cb=None):
-        self._searching = True
+        self.search_displayed = True
         # The int() here makes sure we get a copy of the flags.
         flags = QWebPage.FindFlags(int(self._flags))
         if flags & QWebPage.FindBackward:
@@ -173,9 +173,6 @@ class WebKitSearch(browsertab.AbstractSearch):
         found = self._widget.findText(self.text, flags)
         self._call_cb(result_cb, found, self.text, flags, 'prev_result')
 
-    def searching(self):
-        return self._searching
-
 
 class WebKitCaret(browsertab.AbstractCaret):
 
diff --git a/tests/end2end/data/search_select.js b/tests/end2end/data/search_select.js
index 8a816c7b7..874e9e9fe 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/data/search_select.js
+++ b/tests/end2end/data/search_select.js
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 /* Select all elements marked with toselect */
 
-
 var toSelect = document.getElementsByClassName("toselect");
 var s = window.getSelection();
 
 if(s.rangeCount > 0) s.removeAllRanges();
 
 for(var i = 0; i < toSelect.length; i++) {
-  var range = document.createRange();
-  range.selectNode(toSelect[i]);
-  s.addRange(range);
+    var range = document.createRange();
+    range.selectNode(toSelect[i]);
+    s.addRange(range);
 }