diff --git a/src/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.tsx b/src/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.tsx
index 7171408..f170d2b 100644
--- a/src/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-import Box from '@mui/material/Box';
-import Typography from '@mui/material/Typography';
-import TextField from '@mui/material/TextField';
-import InputAdornment from '@mui/material/InputAdornment';
-import SearchIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Search';
+import { useRef } from 'react';
+import { Box, IconButton, InputAdornment, TextField, Typography } from '@mui/material';
+import { Clear, Search } from '@mui/icons-material';
 import { alpha } from '@mui/material/styles';
 import type { PluginStatusColor } from '../../types';
 import { colors, statusColorMap, STATUS_CARD_DEFS } from '../../theme';
@@ -22,9 +20,17 @@ export default function PluginSearchBar({
   onClearFilter,
   resultCount,
 }: PluginSearchBarProps) {
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  const handleClear = () => {
+    onSearchChange('');
+    inputRef.current?.focus();
+  };
+
   return (
     <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', gap: { xs: 1, sm: 2 }, flexWrap: 'wrap', alignItems: 'center' }}>
       <TextField
+        inputRef={inputRef}
         size="small"
         placeholder="Search a plugin…"
         value={search}
@@ -33,9 +39,23 @@ export default function PluginSearchBar({
           input: {
             startAdornment: (
               <InputAdornment position="start">
-                <SearchIcon sx={{ color: colors.text.muted, fontSize: 20 }} />
+                <Search sx={{ color: colors.text.muted, fontSize: 20 }} />
               </InputAdornment>
             ),
+            endAdornment: search ? (
+              <InputAdornment position="end">
+                <IconButton
+                  size="small"
+                  onClick={handleClear}
+                  onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+                  aria-label="Clear search input"
+                  edge="end"
+                  sx={{ color: colors.text.muted, p: 0.5 }}
+                >
+                  <Clear sx={{ fontSize: 16 }} />
+                </IconButton>
+              </InputAdornment>
+            ) : null,
           },
         }}
         sx={{
diff --git a/src/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.tsx b/src/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.tsx
index 1d11fc8..7f3f9a6 100644
--- a/src/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import { Box, Typography, TextField, InputAdornment } from '@mui/material';
+import { useRef } from 'react';
+import { Box, IconButton, InputAdornment, TextField, Typography } from '@mui/material';
 import { alpha } from '@mui/material/styles';
+import { Clear, SearchOutlined } from '@mui/icons-material';
 import type { RateTier } from '../../util/recipeStatus';
 import { RATE_CARD_DEFS } from '../../util/recipeStatus';
 import { colors, rateTierColorMap } from '../../theme';
-import { SearchOutlined } from '@mui/icons-material';
 
 interface RecipeSearchBarProps {
   search: string;
@@ -20,9 +21,17 @@ export default function RecipeSearchBar({
   onClearFilter,
   resultCount,
 }: RecipeSearchBarProps) {
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  const handleClear = () => {
+    onSearchChange('');
+    inputRef.current?.focus();
+  };
+
   return (
     <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', gap: { xs: 1, sm: 2 }, flexWrap: 'wrap', alignItems: 'center' }}>
       <TextField
+        inputRef={inputRef}
         size="small"
         placeholder="Search a recipe…"
         value={search}
@@ -34,6 +43,20 @@ export default function RecipeSearchBar({
                 <SearchOutlined sx={{ color: colors.text.muted, fontSize: 20 }} />
               </InputAdornment>
             ),
+            endAdornment: search ? (
+              <InputAdornment position="end">
+                <IconButton
+                  size="small"
+                  onClick={handleClear}
+                  onMouseDown={(e) => e.preventDefault()}
+                  aria-label="Clear search input"
+                  edge="end"
+                  sx={{ color: colors.text.muted, p: 0.5 }}
+                >
+                  <Clear sx={{ fontSize: 16 }} />
+                </IconButton>
+              </InputAdornment>
+            ) : null,
           },
         }}
         sx={{
diff --git a/tests/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.test.tsx b/tests/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d513465
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { render, screen, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react';
+import PluginSearchBar from '../../../src/components/pluginList/PluginSearchBar';
+
+describe('PluginSearchBar', () => {
+  it('renders search input with placeholder and no clear button when search is empty', () => {
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search=""
+        onSearchChange={() => {}}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={42}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a plugin…')).toBeDefined();
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' })).toBeNull();
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : search input with placeholder rendered, clear button absent when empty`);
+  });
+
+  it('displays result count correctly', () => {
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search=""
+        onSearchChange={() => {}}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={42}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByText('42 results')).toBeDefined();
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : "42 results" displayed`);
+  });
+
+  it('displays singular "result" when count is 1', () => {
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search=""
+        onSearchChange={() => {}}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={1}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByText('1 result')).toBeDefined();
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : "1 result" (singular) displayed`);
+  });
+
+  it('calls onSearchChange when typing in search input', () => {
+    const onChange = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search=""
+        onSearchChange={onChange}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={0}
+      />
+    );
+    fireEvent.change(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a plugin…'), {
+      target: { value: 'git' },
+    });
+    expect(onChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith('git');
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : typing "git" triggers onSearchChange`);
+  });
+
+  it('shows status filter chip when statusFilter is not "all"', () => {
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search=""
+        onSearchChange={() => {}}
+        statusFilter="green"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={10}
+      />
+    );
+    expect(screen.getByText('All Passed')).toBeDefined();
+    expect(screen.getByText('✕')).toBeDefined();
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : "All Passed" status chip rendered`);
+  });
+
+  it('calls onClearFilter when status filter chip dismiss is clicked', () => {
+    const onClear = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar search="" onSearchChange={() => {}} statusFilter="red" onClearFilter={onClear} resultCount={5} />
+    );
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('✕').closest('button')!);
+    expect(onClear).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : clicking status filter dismiss calls onClearFilter`);
+  });
+
+  it('renders search clear button when search is non-empty and triggers onSearchChange("") and restores focus when clicked', () => {
+    const onSearchChange = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search="git"
+        onSearchChange={onSearchChange}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={5}
+      />
+    );
+
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a plugin…');
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+    expect(clearButton).toBeDefined();
+
+    fireEvent.click(clearButton);
+    expect(onSearchChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith('');
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(input);
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : clicking clear input button triggers onSearchChange("") and restores focus`);
+  });
+
+  it('prevents default on mouse down on clear button so input focus is preserved', () => {
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search="git"
+        onSearchChange={() => {}}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={5}
+      />
+    );
+
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+    const event = new MouseEvent('mousedown', { cancelable: true, bubbles: true });
+    clearButton.dispatchEvent(event);
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : mouse down on clear button prevents default`);
+  });
+
+  it('can activate clear button using keyboard and restores focus to search input', () => {
+    const onSearchChange = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <PluginSearchBar
+        search="git"
+        onSearchChange={onSearchChange}
+        statusFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={5}
+      />
+    );
+
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a plugin…');
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+
+    clearButton.focus();
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(clearButton);
+
+    fireEvent.click(clearButton);
+    expect(onSearchChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith('');
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(input);
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : keyboard activation restores focus to input`);
+  });
+
+  it('clearing search restores unfiltered results in a stateful search bar', () => {
+    function StatefulPluginSearchBar() {
+      const [search, setSearch] = useState('git');
+      const plugins = ['git-plugin', 'github-branch-source', 'workflow-job'];
+      const filtered = plugins.filter((p) => p.includes(search));
+      return (
+        <div>
+          <PluginSearchBar
+            search={search}
+            onSearchChange={setSearch}
+            statusFilter="all"
+            onClearFilter={() => {}}
+            resultCount={filtered.length}
+          />
+          <div data-testid="results">{filtered.join(', ')}</div>
+        </div>
+      );
+    }
+
+    render(<StatefulPluginSearchBar />);
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('results').textContent).toBe('git-plugin, github-branch-source');
+
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+    fireEvent.click(clearButton);
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('results').textContent).toBe('git-plugin, github-branch-source, workflow-job');
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' })).toBeNull();
+    console.log(`  PluginSearchBar : clearing search restores unfiltered results`);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.test.tsx b/tests/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.test.tsx
index 42ae59d..3b88510 100644
--- a/tests/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar.test.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
 import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { render, screen, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react';
 import RecipeSearchBar from '../../../src/components/recipeList/RecipeSearchBar';
 
 describe('RecipeSearchBar', () => {
-  it('renders search input with placeholder', () => {
+  it('renders search input with placeholder and no clear button when search is empty', () => {
     render(
       <RecipeSearchBar search="" onSearchChange={() => {}} tierFilter="all" onClearFilter={() => {}} resultCount={20} />
     );
     expect(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a recipe…')).toBeDefined();
-    console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : search input with placeholder rendered`);
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' })).toBeNull();
+    console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : search input with placeholder rendered, clear button absent when empty`);
   });
 
   it('displays result count', () => {
@@ -78,4 +79,98 @@ describe('RecipeSearchBar', () => {
     expect(onClear).toHaveBeenCalled();
     console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : clicking dismiss calls onClearFilter`);
   });
+
+  it('renders search clear button when search is non-empty and triggers onSearchChange("") and restores focus when clicked', () => {
+    const onSearchChange = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <RecipeSearchBar
+        search="Setup"
+        onSearchChange={onSearchChange}
+        tierFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={5}
+      />
+    );
+
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a recipe…');
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+    expect(clearButton).toBeDefined();
+
+    fireEvent.click(clearButton);
+    expect(onSearchChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith('');
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(input);
+    console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : clicking clear input button triggers onSearchChange("") and restores focus`);
+  });
+
+  it('prevents default on mouse down on clear button so input focus is preserved', () => {
+    render(
+      <RecipeSearchBar
+        search="Setup"
+        onSearchChange={() => {}}
+        tierFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={5}
+      />
+    );
+
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+    const event = new MouseEvent('mousedown', { cancelable: true, bubbles: true });
+    clearButton.dispatchEvent(event);
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true);
+    console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : mouse down on clear button prevents default`);
+  });
+
+  it('can activate clear button using keyboard and restores focus to search input', () => {
+    const onSearchChange = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <RecipeSearchBar
+        search="Setup"
+        onSearchChange={onSearchChange}
+        tierFilter="all"
+        onClearFilter={() => {}}
+        resultCount={5}
+      />
+    );
+
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText('Search a recipe…');
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+
+    clearButton.focus();
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(clearButton);
+
+    fireEvent.click(clearButton);
+    expect(onSearchChange).toHaveBeenCalledWith('');
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(input);
+    console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : keyboard activation restores focus to input`);
+  });
+
+  it('clearing search restores unfiltered results in a stateful search bar', () => {
+    function StatefulRecipeSearchBar() {
+      const [search, setSearch] = useState('Setup');
+      const recipes = ['SetupDependabot', 'SetupJenkinsfile', 'MigrateToJUnit5'];
+      const filtered = recipes.filter((r) => r.includes(search));
+      return (
+        <div>
+          <RecipeSearchBar
+            search={search}
+            onSearchChange={setSearch}
+            tierFilter="all"
+            onClearFilter={() => {}}
+            resultCount={filtered.length}
+          />
+          <div data-testid="results">{filtered.join(', ')}</div>
+        </div>
+      );
+    }
+
+    render(<StatefulRecipeSearchBar />);
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('results').textContent).toBe('SetupDependabot, SetupJenkinsfile');
+
+    const clearButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' });
+    fireEvent.click(clearButton);
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('results').textContent).toBe('SetupDependabot, SetupJenkinsfile, MigrateToJUnit5');
+    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search input' })).toBeNull();
+    console.log(`  RecipeSearchBar : clearing search restores unfiltered results`);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/tests/pages/PluginList.integration.test.tsx b/tests/pages/PluginList.integration.test.tsx
index 9f80b1f..b839e35 100644
--- a/tests/pages/PluginList.integration.test.tsx
+++ b/tests/pages/PluginList.integration.test.tsx
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function countByStatus(plugins: PluginReport[]): Record<PluginStatusColor, numbe
   return counts;
 }
 
-describe('PluginList integration (real report.json)', () => {
+describe('PluginList integration (real report.json)', { timeout: 30000 }, () => {
   let realReport: ReportJson;
   let expectedPlugins: PluginReport[];
   let expectedCounts: Record<PluginStatusColor, number>;
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe('PluginList integration (real report.json)', () => {
     });
   }
 
-  it('renders the correct total plugin count from real data', async () => {
+  it('renders the correct total plugin count from real data', { timeout: 30000 }, async () => {
     await renderAndWait();
 
     expect(screen.getByText('Plugins')).toBeDefined();