diff --git a/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx b/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx
index b9515fef46..c1d04eee32 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ export default class LeftPanel extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
 
     private onRoomListKeydown = (ev: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
         if (ev.altKey || ev.ctrlKey || ev.metaKey) return;
+        if (SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spotlight")) return;
         // we cannot handle Space as that is an activation key for all focusable elements in this widget
         if (ev.key.length === 1) {
             ev.preventDefault();
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomSearch.tsx b/src/components/structures/RoomSearch.tsx
index 4b58e42ad1..80b50245dd 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomSearch.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomSearch.tsx
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ export default class RoomSearch extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
     private onSpotlightChange = () => {
         const spotlightBetaEnabled = SettingsStore.getValue("feature_spotlight");
         if (this.state.spotlightBetaEnabled !== spotlightBetaEnabled) {
-            this.setState({ spotlightBetaEnabled });
+            this.setState({
+                spotlightBetaEnabled,
+                query: "",
+            });
         }
         // in case the user was in settings at the 5-minute mark, dismiss the toast
         ToastStore.sharedInstance().dismissToast("BETA_SPOTLIGHT_TOAST");