diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
index a27467f06..c3caa5bd5 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Fixed spaces in `/settings` searches toggling the highlighted setting while typing multi-word queries such as **UI mode** or **Quiet startup**.
 - Fixed custom editors not inheriting the default editor's autocomplete dropdown item limit ([#7333](https://github.com/earendil-works/pi/issues/7333)).
 - Fixed malformed resource arrays in package manifests crashing session startup ([#7187](https://github.com/earendil-works/pi/issues/7187)).
 - Fixed the DOOM overlay example downloading its shareware WAD from a dead URL.
diff --git a/packages/tui/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/tui/CHANGELOG.md
index 39982a6f5..8d8232561 100644
--- a/packages/tui/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/tui/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 - Fixed terminal width accounting for Indic conjunct grapheme clusters ([#6124](https://github.com/earendil-works/pi/issues/6124) by [@petrroll](https://github.com/petrroll)).
 - Fixed phantom alternate-screen text selection from unmatched mouse events when changing terminal pane focus.
+- Fixed spaces in searchable settings queries changing the selected value instead of filtering multi-word labels.
 
 ### Added
 
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/components/settings-list.ts b/packages/tui/src/components/settings-list.ts
index 88e9433f7..7dce91b87 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/components/settings-list.ts
+++ b/packages/tui/src/components/settings-list.ts
@@ -182,16 +182,15 @@ export class SettingsList implements Component {
 		} else if (kb.matches(data, "tui.select.down")) {
 			if (displayItems.length === 0) return;
 			this.selectedIndex = this.selectedIndex === displayItems.length - 1 ? 0 : this.selectedIndex + 1;
-		} else if (kb.matches(data, "tui.select.confirm") || data === " ") {
+		} else if (
+			kb.matches(data, "tui.select.confirm") ||
+			(data === " " && (!this.searchEnabled || this.searchInput?.getValue().length === 0))
+		) {
 			this.activateItem();
 		} else if (kb.matches(data, "tui.select.cancel")) {
 			this.onCancel();
 		} else if (this.searchEnabled && this.searchInput) {
-			const sanitized = data.replace(/ /g, "");
-			if (!sanitized) {
-				return;
-			}
-			this.searchInput.handleInput(sanitized);
+			this.searchInput.handleInput(data);
 			this.applyFilter(this.searchInput.getValue());
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/packages/tui/test/settings-list.test.ts b/packages/tui/test/settings-list.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b39eddce8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/tui/test/settings-list.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import assert from "node:assert";
+import { describe, it } from "node:test";
+import { SettingsList, type SettingsListTheme } from "../src/components/settings-list.ts";
+
+const testTheme: SettingsListTheme = {
+	label: (text) => text,
+	value: (text) => text,
+	description: (text) => text,
+	cursor: "> ",
+	hint: (text) => text,
+};
+
+const items = [
+	{
+		id: "ui-mode",
+		label: "UI mode",
+		currentValue: "regular",
+		values: ["regular", "fullscreen"],
+	},
+];
+
+describe("SettingsList", () => {
+	it("includes spaces in an active search instead of changing the selected setting", () => {
+		const changes: Array<{ id: string; value: string }> = [];
+		const list = new SettingsList(
+			items.map((item) => ({ ...item })),
+			10,
+			testTheme,
+			(id, value) => changes.push({ id, value }),
+			() => {},
+			{ enableSearch: true },
+		);
+
+		for (const character of "UI mode") list.handleInput(character);
+
+		assert.deepStrictEqual(changes, []);
+		assert.match(list.render(80)[0] ?? "", /UI mode/);
+
+		list.handleInput("\r");
+		assert.deepStrictEqual(changes, [{ id: "ui-mode", value: "fullscreen" }]);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps Space as a change shortcut before a search query is entered", () => {
+		const changes: Array<{ id: string; value: string }> = [];
+		const list = new SettingsList(
+			items.map((item) => ({ ...item })),
+			10,
+			testTheme,
+			(id, value) => changes.push({ id, value }),
+			() => {},
+			{ enableSearch: true },
+		);
+
+		list.handleInput(" ");
+
+		assert.deepStrictEqual(changes, [{ id: "ui-mode", value: "fullscreen" }]);
+	});
+});