diff --git a/src/typescript/frontend/src/components/emoji-picker/EmojiPickerWithInput.tsx b/src/typescript/frontend/src/components/emoji-picker/EmojiPickerWithInput.tsx
index 498e1803a..026c9a352 100644
--- a/src/typescript/frontend/src/components/emoji-picker/EmojiPickerWithInput.tsx
+++ b/src/typescript/frontend/src/components/emoji-picker/EmojiPickerWithInput.tsx
@@ -239,7 +239,15 @@ export const EmojiPickerWithInput = ({
                     e.stopPropagation();
                   }}
                   onClick={() => {
+                    const shadowRoot = document.querySelector("em-emoji-picker")
+                      ?.shadowRoot as ShadowRoot;
+                    const pickerInputElement = shadowRoot.querySelector(
+                      "div.search input"
+                    ) as HTMLInputElement;
                     setPickerInvisible(false);
+                    if (pickerInvisible) {
+                      pickerInputElement.focus();
+                    }
                   }}
                   data-testid="emoji-input"
                   style={{ fontFamily: EMOJI_FONT_FAMILY }}