diff --git a/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.cpp b/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.cpp
index 1d1f01622f..29b78c5fa0 100644
--- a/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.cpp
@@ -251,6 +251,20 @@ wxDataViewItem CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::FindItem( const LIB_ID& aLibId )
 }
 
 
+unsigned int CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::GetChildren(
+            wxDataViewItem const&   aItem,
+            wxDataViewItemArray&    aChildren ) const
+{
+    auto node = ( aItem.IsOk() ? ToNode( aItem ) : &m_tree );
+
+    if( node->Type != CMP_TREE_NODE::TYPE::LIBID
+            || ( m_show_units && node->Type == CMP_TREE_NODE::TYPE::LIBID ) )
+        return IntoArray( *node, aChildren );
+    else
+        return 0;
+}
+
+
 bool CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::HasContainerColumns( wxDataViewItem const& aItem ) const
 {
     return IsContainer( aItem );
@@ -282,20 +296,6 @@ wxDataViewItem CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::GetParent( wxDataViewItem const& aIt
 }
 
 
-unsigned int CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::GetChildren(
-            wxDataViewItem const&   aItem,
-            wxDataViewItemArray&    aChildren ) const
-{
-    auto node = ( aItem.IsOk() ? ToNode( aItem ) : &m_tree );
-
-    if( node->Type != CMP_TREE_NODE::TYPE::LIBID
-            || ( m_show_units && node->Type == CMP_TREE_NODE::TYPE::LIBID ) )
-        return IntoArray( *node, aChildren );
-    else
-        return 0;
-}
-
-
 void CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::GetValue(
             wxVariant&              aVariant,
             wxDataViewItem const&   aItem,
diff --git a/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.h b/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.h
index 25a31b85c5..66d2b9285f 100644
--- a/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.h
+++ b/eeschema/cmp_tree_model_adapter_base.h
@@ -241,6 +241,15 @@ public:
      */
     wxDataViewItem FindItem( const LIB_ID& aLibId );
 
+    /**
+     * Populate a list of all the children of an item
+     *
+     * @return number of children
+     */
+    virtual unsigned int GetChildren(
+            wxDataViewItem const&   aItem,
+            wxDataViewItemArray&    aChildren ) const override;
+
 protected:
     static wxDataViewItem ToItem( CMP_TREE_NODE const* aNode );
     static CMP_TREE_NODE const* ToNode( wxDataViewItem aItem );
@@ -271,15 +280,6 @@ protected:
      */
     virtual wxDataViewItem GetParent( wxDataViewItem const& aItem ) const override;
 
-    /**
-     * Populate a list of all the children of an item
-     *
-     * @return number of children
-     */
-    virtual unsigned int GetChildren(
-            wxDataViewItem const&   aItem,
-            wxDataViewItemArray&    aChildren ) const override;
-
     /**
      * Return the number of columns in the model
      */
diff --git a/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.cpp b/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.cpp
index a10e509416..8b6724d077 100644
--- a/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ COMPONENT_TREE::COMPONENT_TREE( wxWindow* aParent, SYMBOL_LIB_TABLE* aSymLibTabl
       m_sym_lib_table( aSymLibTable ),
       m_adapter( aAdapter ),
       m_query_ctrl( nullptr ),
-      m_details_ctrl( nullptr )
+      m_details_ctrl( nullptr ),
+      m_filtering( false )
 {
     // create space for context menu pointers, INVALID is the max value
     m_menus.resize( CMP_TREE_NODE::TYPE::INVALID + 1 );
@@ -164,9 +165,24 @@ void COMPONENT_TREE::postSelectEvent()
 
 void COMPONENT_TREE::onQueryText( wxCommandEvent& aEvent )
 {
+    // Store the state
+    if( !m_filtering )
+    {
+        m_selection = m_tree_ctrl->GetSelection();
+        saveExpandFlag();
+    }
+
     m_adapter->UpdateSearchString( m_query_ctrl->GetLineText( 0 ) );
+    m_filtering = !m_query_ctrl->IsEmpty();
     postPreselectEvent();
 
+    // Restore the state
+    if( !m_filtering )
+    {
+        selectIfValid( m_selection );
+        restoreExpandFlag();
+    }
+
     // Required to avoid interaction with SetHint()
     // See documentation for wxTextEntry::SetHint
     aEvent.Skip();
@@ -260,5 +276,32 @@ void COMPONENT_TREE::onContextMenu( wxDataViewEvent& aEvent )
 }
 
 
+void COMPONENT_TREE::saveExpandFlag()
+{
+    wxDataViewItemArray items;
+    m_adapter->GetChildren( wxDataViewItem( nullptr ), items );
+    m_expanded.clear();
+
+    for( const auto& item : items )
+    {
+        if( m_tree_ctrl->IsExpanded( item ) )
+            m_expanded.push_back( item );
+    }
+}
+
+
+void COMPONENT_TREE::restoreExpandFlag()
+{
+    m_tree_ctrl->Freeze();
+
+    for( const auto& item : m_expanded )
+    {
+        m_tree_ctrl->Expand( item );
+    }
+
+    m_tree_ctrl->Thaw();
+}
+
+
 wxDEFINE_EVENT( COMPONENT_PRESELECTED, wxCommandEvent );
 wxDEFINE_EVENT( COMPONENT_SELECTED, wxCommandEvent );
diff --git a/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.h b/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.h
index 3cf0afb1e1..0917e4f951 100644
--- a/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.h
+++ b/eeschema/widgets/component_tree.h
@@ -114,8 +114,18 @@ protected:
     void onPreselect( wxCommandEvent& aEvent );
     void onContextMenu( wxDataViewEvent& aEvent );
 
+    /**
+     * Store the list of expanded nodes in the tree widget.
+     */
+    void saveExpandFlag();
+
+    /**
+     * Restore the expanded nodes in the tree widget.
+     */
+    void restoreExpandFlag();
+
     SYMBOL_LIB_TABLE* m_sym_lib_table;
-    CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::PTR m_adapter;
+    CMP_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER_BASE::PTR m_adapter;
 
     wxTextCtrl*     m_query_ctrl;
     wxDataViewCtrl* m_tree_ctrl;
@@ -126,6 +136,12 @@ protected:
 
     ///> Flag indicating whether a right-click context menu is active
     bool m_menuActive;
+
+    bool m_filtering;
+
+    ///> List of expanded nodes
+    std::vector<wxDataViewItem> m_expanded;
+    wxDataViewItem m_selection;
 };
 
 ///> Custom event sent when a new component is preselected