diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/directives/map_search.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/directives/map_search.js.coffee
index 7a3e633384..a074539a23 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/directives/map_search.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/directives/map_search.js.coffee
@@ -1,23 +1,33 @@
-Darkswarm.directive 'mapSearch', ($timeout) ->
+Darkswarm.directive 'mapSearch', ($timeout, Search) ->
   # Install a basic search field in a map
   restrict: 'E'
-  require: '^googleMap'
+  require: ['^googleMap', 'ngModel']
   replace: true
-  template: '<input id="pac-input" placeholder="' + t('location_placeholder') + '"></input>'
+  template: '<input id="pac-input" ng-model="query" placeholder="' + t('location_placeholder') + '"></input>'
   scope: {}
-  link: (scope, elem, attrs, ctrl) ->
+
+  controller: ($scope) ->
+    $scope.query = Search.search()
+
+    $scope.$watch 'query', (query) ->
+      Search.search query
+
+
+  link: (scope, elem, attrs, ctrls) ->
+    [ctrl, model] = ctrls
+    scope.input = document.getElementById("pac-input")
+
     $timeout =>
       map = ctrl.getMap()
 
       searchBox = scope.createSearchBox map
       scope.bindSearchResponse map, searchBox
       scope.biasResults map, searchBox
-
+      scope.performUrlSearch map
 
     scope.createSearchBox = (map) ->
-      input = document.getElementById("pac-input")
-      map.controls[google.maps.ControlPosition.TOP_LEFT].push input
-      return new google.maps.places.SearchBox(input)
+      map.controls[google.maps.ControlPosition.TOP_LEFT].push scope.input
+      return new google.maps.places.SearchBox(scope.input)
 
     scope.bindSearchResponse = (map, searchBox) ->
       google.maps.event.addListener searchBox, "places_changed", =>
@@ -30,6 +40,12 @@ Darkswarm.directive 'mapSearch', ($timeout) ->
         scope.$apply ->
           model.$setViewValue elem.val()
 
+    # When the map loads, and we have a search from ?query, perform that search
+    scope.performUrlSearch = (map) ->
+      google.maps.event.addListener map, "tilesloaded", =>
+        google.maps.event.trigger(scope.input, 'focus');
+        google.maps.event.trigger(scope.input, 'keydown', {keyCode: 13});
+
     # Bias the SearchBox results towards places that are within the bounds of the
     # current map's viewport.
     scope.biasResults = (map, searchBox) ->