diff --git a/components/search_combo.go b/components/search_combo.go
index 5ebec514dd..be39837cb5 100644
--- a/components/search_combo.go
+++ b/components/search_combo.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func SearchCombo(locale translation.Locale, value, placeholder string) g.Node {
 	disabled := false
 	return gh.Div(
 		gh.Class("ui small fluid action input"),
-		SearchInput(value, placeholder, disabled),
+		SearchInput(locale, value, placeholder, disabled),
 		// TODO SearchModeDropdown
 		SearchButton(disabled, ""),
 	)
diff --git a/components/search_input.go b/components/search_input.go
index aef68bdbfa..519934dad0 100644
--- a/components/search_input.go
+++ b/components/search_input.go
@@ -4,13 +4,18 @@
 package components
 
 import (
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/translation"
 	g "maragu.dev/gomponents"
 	gh "maragu.dev/gomponents/html"
 )
 
-func SearchInput(value, placeholder string, disabled bool) g.Node {
+func SearchInput(locale translation.Locale, value, placeholder string, disabled bool) g.Node {
 	// Corresponds to templates/shared/search/input.tmpl
 
+	if placeholder == "" {
+		placeholder = string(locale.Tr("search.search"))
+	}
+
 	return gh.Input(
 		gh.Type("search"),
 		gh.Name("q"),