diff --git a/static/find/find.js b/static/find/find.js
index 610c8d4..038a1a1 100644
--- a/static/find/find.js
+++ b/static/find/find.js
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ const queryParams = new Map(
 );
 const fragmentPaths = fragment?.split(LEAN_FRIENDLY_SLASH_SEPARATOR) ?? [];
 
-const pattern = queryParams.get("pattern") ?? fragmentPaths[1]; // if first fail then second, may be undefined
+const encodedPattern = queryParams.get("pattern") ?? fragmentPaths[1]; // if first fail then second, may be undefined
+const pattern = decodeURIComponent(encodedPattern);
 const strict = (queryParams.get("strict") ?? "true") === "true"; // default to true
 const view = fragmentPaths[0];