diff --git a/res/drawable/search_bar_selected_background.xml b/res/drawable/search_bar_selected_background.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b98ed9f7502
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/drawable/search_bar_selected_background.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Copyright (C) 2019 The Android Open Source Project
+
+     Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+     you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+     You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+     Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+     distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+     WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+     See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+     limitations under the License.
+-->
+
+<ripple xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+        android:color="?android:attr/colorControlHighlight">
+    <item android:drawable="@color/search_bar_background"/>
+</ripple>
diff --git a/res/layout/search_bar.xml b/res/layout/search_bar.xml
index dbd61dff0d8..420c965a19b 100644
--- a/res/layout/search_bar.xml
+++ b/res/layout/search_bar.xml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="@dimen/search_bar_height"
         android:layout_marginStart="-2dp"
-        android:background="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"
+        android:background="@drawable/search_bar_selected_background"
         android:contentInsetStartWithNavigation="@dimen/search_bar_content_inset"
         android:navigationIcon="@drawable/ic_homepage_search">
         <TextView
diff --git a/res/values-night/colors.xml b/res/values-night/colors.xml
index 8a6b697c1b8..712925eeee5 100644
--- a/res/values-night/colors.xml
+++ b/res/values-night/colors.xml
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@
   <color name="homepage_status_bar_color">#cc000000</color>
   <color name="homepage_card_dismissal_background">@*android:color/material_grey_900</color>
   <color name="contextual_card_background">@*android:color/material_grey_900</color>
+  <color name="search_bar_background">@*android:color/material_grey_800</color>
 </resources>
 
diff --git a/res/values/colors.xml b/res/values/colors.xml
index 5d681ca1d71..cfbcd5a1468 100644
--- a/res/values/colors.xml
+++ b/res/values/colors.xml
@@ -140,4 +140,7 @@
     <color name="qr_background_color">#b3ffffff</color> <!-- 70% white transparency -->
     <!-- End of QR code scanner colors -->
 
+    <!-- Search bar background color -->
+    <color name="search_bar_background">@android:color/white</color>
+
 </resources>
\ No newline at end of file