diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddleware.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddleware.kt
index 326b92550..c1c2a8cbd 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddleware.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddleware.kt
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class HistoryMetadataMiddleware(
             // web content i.e., they followed a link, not if the user navigated directly via
             // toolbar.
             !directLoadTriggered && previousUrlIndex >= 0 -> {
-                // Once a tab is within the search group, only direct navigation event can change that.
+                // Once a tab is within the search group, only a direct load event (via the toolbar) can change that.
                 val (searchTerms, referrerUrl) = if (tabMetadataHasSearchTerms) {
                     tab.historyMetadata?.searchTerm to tab.historyMetadata?.referrerUrl
                 } else {
@@ -184,15 +184,15 @@ class HistoryMetadataMiddleware(
             }
             // In certain redirect cases, we won't have a previous url in the history stack of the tab,
             // but will have the search terms already set on the tab from having gone through this logic
-            // for the redirecting url.
-            // In that case, we leave this tab within the search group it's already in.
-            tabMetadataHasSearchTerms -> {
+            // for the redirecting url. So we leave this tab within the search group it's already in
+            // unless a new direct load (via the toolbar) was triggered.
+            tabMetadataHasSearchTerms && !(directLoadTriggered && previousUrlIndex >= 0) -> {
                 tab.historyMetadata?.searchTerm to tab.historyMetadata?.referrerUrl
             }
             // We had no search terms, no history stack, and no parent.
-            // For example, this would be a search results page itself.
-            // For now, the original search results page is not part of the search group.
-            // See https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/21659.
+            // This would be the case for any page loaded directly via the toolbar including
+            // a search results page itself. For now, the original search results page is not
+            // part of the search group: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/21659.
             else -> null to null
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddlewareTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddlewareTest.kt
index c84f98c67..2fe95d63e 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddlewareTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/org/mozilla/fenix/historymetadata/HistoryMetadataMiddlewareTest.kt
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class HistoryMetadataMiddlewareTest {
             assertEquals(2, this.count())
         }
 
-        // Parent navigates away. Search terms are reset.
+        // Parent navigates away.
         store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateUrlAction(parentTab.id, "https://firefox.com")).joinBlocking()
         store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateSearchTermsAction(parentTab.id, "")).joinBlocking()
         store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateHistoryStateAction(parentTab.id, listOf(HistoryItem("Google - mozilla website", "https://google.com?q=mozilla+website"), HistoryItem("Firefox", "https://firefox.com")), 1)).joinBlocking()
@@ -186,6 +186,62 @@ class HistoryMetadataMiddlewareTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `GIVEN tab with search terms WHEN subsequent direct load occurs THEN search terms are not retained`() {
+        service = TestingMetadataService()
+        middleware = HistoryMetadataMiddleware(service)
+        store = BrowserStore(
+            middleware = listOf(middleware) + EngineMiddleware.create(engine = mockk()),
+            initialState = BrowserState()
+        )
+        setupGoogleSearchEngine()
+
+        val parentTab = createTab("https://google.com?q=mozilla+website", searchTerms = "mozilla website")
+        val tab = createTab("https://google.com?url=https://mozilla.org", parent = parentTab)
+        store.dispatch(TabListAction.AddTabAction(parentTab, select = true)).joinBlocking()
+        store.dispatch(TabListAction.AddTabAction(tab)).joinBlocking()
+
+        with((service as TestingMetadataService).createdMetadata) {
+            assertEquals(2, this.count())
+            assertEquals("https://google.com?q=mozilla+website", this[0].url)
+            assertNull(this[0].searchTerm)
+            assertNull(this[0].referrerUrl)
+
+            assertEquals("https://google.com?url=https://mozilla.org", this[1].url)
+            assertEquals("mozilla website", this[1].searchTerm)
+            assertEquals("https://google.com?q=mozilla+website", this[1].referrerUrl)
+        }
+
+        // Both tabs load.
+        store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateHistoryStateAction(parentTab.id, listOf(HistoryItem("Google - mozilla website", "https://google.com?q=mozilla+website")), 0)).joinBlocking()
+        store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateHistoryStateAction(tab.id, listOf(HistoryItem("", "https://google.com?url=mozilla+website")), currentIndex = 0)).joinBlocking()
+        with((service as TestingMetadataService).createdMetadata) {
+            assertEquals(2, this.count())
+        }
+
+        // Direct load occurs on child tab. Search terms should be cleared.
+        store.dispatch(EngineAction.LoadUrlAction(tab.id, "https://firefox.com")).joinBlocking()
+        store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateUrlAction(tab.id, "https://firefox.com")).joinBlocking()
+        store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateHistoryStateAction(tab.id, listOf(HistoryItem("", "https://google.com?url=mozilla+website"), HistoryItem("Firefox", "https://firefox.com")), 1)).joinBlocking()
+        with((service as TestingMetadataService).createdMetadata) {
+            assertEquals(3, this.count())
+            assertEquals("https://firefox.com", this[2].url)
+            assertNull(this[2].searchTerm)
+            assertNull(this[2].referrerUrl)
+        }
+
+        // Direct load occurs on parent tab. Search terms should be cleared.
+        store.dispatch(EngineAction.LoadUrlAction(parentTab.id, "https://firefox.com")).joinBlocking()
+        store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateUrlAction(parentTab.id, "https://firefox.com")).joinBlocking()
+        store.dispatch(ContentAction.UpdateHistoryStateAction(parentTab.id, listOf(HistoryItem("Google - mozilla website", "https://google.com?q=mozilla+website"), HistoryItem("Firefox", "https://firefox.com")), 1)).joinBlocking()
+        with((service as TestingMetadataService).createdMetadata) {
+            assertEquals(4, this.count())
+            assertEquals("https://firefox.com", this[3].url)
+            assertNull(this[3].searchTerm)
+            assertNull(this[3].referrerUrl)
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun `GIVEN normal tab has parent WHEN url is the same THEN nothing happens`() {
         val parentTab = createTab("https://mozilla.org", searchTerms = "mozilla website")