diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 89356377b4..7969e77860 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-boost_root
 .downloads-by-cmake
+.gdb_history
+boost_root
 Build*
 build*
 common/fp_lib_table_keywords.cpp
@@ -114,4 +115,4 @@ CMakeSettings.json
 # Translations
 *.mo
 i18n_status.svg
-i18n_status.csv
\ No newline at end of file
+i18n_status.csv
diff --git a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
index 7d31bf76d1..e0be4dd411 100644
--- a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
+++ b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
@@ -187,23 +187,27 @@ void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::DoAddLibrary( wxString const& aNodeName, wxString c
 }
 
 
-void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::UpdateSearchString( wxString const& aSearch )
+void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::UpdateSearchString( wxString const& aSearch, bool aState )
 {
     {
         wxWindowUpdateLocker updateLock( m_widget );
 
-        // This collapse is required before the call to "Freeze()" below.  Once Freeze()
-        // is called, GetParent() will return nullptr.  While this works for some calls, it
-        // segfaults when we have our first library expanded.
-        // The tree will be expanded again below when we get our matches
-        if( !aSearch.IsNull() && m_tree.m_Children.size() )
-            m_widget->Collapse( wxDataViewItem( &*m_tree.m_Children[0] ) );
-
         // Even with the updateLock, wxWidgets sometimes ties its knickers in a knot trying to
         // run a wxdataview_selection_changed_callback() on a row that has been deleted.
         // https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/1756255
         m_widget->UnselectAll();
 
+        // This collapse is required before the call to "Freeze()" below.  Once Freeze()
+        // is called, GetParent() will return nullptr.  While this works for some calls, it
+        // segfaults when we have our first library expanded.
+        // The tree will be expanded again below when we get our matches
+        //
+        // Also note that this cannot happen when we have deleted a symbol as GTK will also
+        // iterate over the tree in this case and find a symbol that has an invalid link
+        // and crash https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/6910
+        if( !aState && !aSearch.IsNull() && m_tree.m_Children.size() )
+            m_widget->Collapse( wxDataViewItem( &*m_tree.m_Children[0] ) );
+
         // DO NOT REMOVE THE FREEZE/THAW. This freeze/thaw is a flag for this model adapter
         // that tells it when it shouldn't trust any of the data in the model. When set, it will
         // not return invalid data to the UI, since this invalid data can cause crashes.
diff --git a/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp b/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp
index 550875861b..8e8f3ddc4c 100644
--- a/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp
+++ b/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ void LIB_TREE::Regenerate( bool aKeepState )
         current = getState();
 
     wxString filter = m_query_ctrl->GetValue();
-    m_adapter->UpdateSearchString( filter );
+    m_adapter->UpdateSearchString( filter, aKeepState );
     postPreselectEvent();
 
     // Restore the state
diff --git a/include/lib_tree_model_adapter.h b/include/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
index 6fe93a4a85..9ef3ee7db9 100644
--- a/include/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
+++ b/include/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
@@ -179,8 +179,9 @@ public:
      * Set the search string provided by the user.
      *
      * @param aSearch   full, unprocessed search text
+     * @param aState    if true, we are keeping the state and so we shouldn't collapse the tree
      */
-    void UpdateSearchString( wxString const& aSearch );
+    void UpdateSearchString( wxString const& aSearch, bool aState );
 
     /**
      * Attach to a wxDataViewCtrl and initialize it. This will set up columns