diff --git a/internal/tui/keybinds.go b/internal/tui/keybinds.go
index a2f69c7..ed2b8d4 100644
--- a/internal/tui/keybinds.go
+++ b/internal/tui/keybinds.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package tui
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"tusshi/internal/constants"
 	"tusshi/internal/ssh"
 	"tusshi/internal/tui/commands"
@@ -113,13 +114,7 @@ func (m *Model) handleNormalKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		return m, m.ActiveComponent.Init()
 
 	case utils.MatchesMultipleStringOptions(msg.String(), constants.KeyEnter):
-		if len(m.Filtered) > 0 {
-			selected := m.Filtered[m.SelectedIndex]
-			sshCmd := ssh.NewSSHCommand(selected.Alias)
-			return m, tea.ExecProcess(sshCmd, func(err error) tea.Msg {
-				return SSHFinishedMsg{Err: err}
-			})
-		}
+		return m.connectSelectedHost()
 	}
 
 	return m, nil
@@ -128,9 +123,32 @@ func (m *Model) handleNormalKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 // handleSearchKey processes keyboard input when performing a text search.
 func (m *Model) handleSearchKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	switch msg.String() {
-	case constants.KeyEsc, constants.KeyEnter:
+	case constants.KeyEsc:
+		m.Mode = ModeNormal
+		m.SearchInput.Blur()
+		return m, nil
+
+	case constants.KeyEnter:
 		m.Mode = ModeNormal
 		m.SearchInput.Blur()
+		return m.connectSelectedHost()
+
+	case "up": // TODO: maybe refactor keybinds constants? but this would likely never change...
+		if m.SelectedIndex > 0 {
+			m.SelectedIndex--
+		}
+		return m, nil
+
+	case "down":
+		if m.SelectedIndex < len(m.Filtered)-1 {
+			m.SelectedIndex++
+		}
+		return m, nil
+
+		// TODO: test on multiple terminal emulators
+	case "ctrl+backspace", "ctrl+h", "ctrl+w": // why: kitty and xterm-compatible terminals transmit ctrl+backspace as ctrl+h
+		deleteWordBackwards(&m.SearchInput)
+		m.FilterHosts()
 		return m, nil
 	}
 
@@ -159,3 +177,36 @@ func (m *Model) handleCommandKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	m.CommandInput, cmdCmd = m.CommandInput.Update(msg)
 	return m, cmdCmd
 }
+
+func (m *Model) connectSelectedHost() (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
+	if len(m.Filtered) == 0 {
+		return m, nil
+	}
+	selected := m.Filtered[m.SelectedIndex]
+	sshCmd := ssh.NewSSHCommand(selected.Alias)
+	return m, tea.ExecProcess(sshCmd, func(err error) tea.Msg {
+		return SSHFinishedMsg{Err: err}
+	})
+
+}
+
+func deleteWordBackwards(ti *textinput.Model) {
+	val := ti.Value()
+	pos := ti.Position()
+	if pos == 0 || len(val) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	left := strings.TrimRight(val[:pos], " ")
+	lastSpace := strings.LastIndex(left, " ")
+
+	var newVal string
+	if lastSpace == -1 {
+		newVal = val[pos:]
+		ti.SetCursor(0)
+	} else {
+		newVal = left[:lastSpace+1] + val[pos:]
+		ti.SetCursor(lastSpace + 1)
+	}
+	ti.SetValue(newVal)
+}
diff --git a/internal/tui/model.go b/internal/tui/model.go
index 8776076..3551d85 100644
--- a/internal/tui/model.go
+++ b/internal/tui/model.go
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ func (m *Model) Reload() {
 }
 
 // FilterHosts filters and fuzzy-matches the host list using active tab and search query.
+// Handles index under & overflow for selectedIndex
 func (m *Model) FilterHosts() {
 	var filtered []*config.Host
 	searchQ := strings.ToLower(m.SearchInput.Value())