diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/AppsRecyclerAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/AppsRecyclerAdapter.kt
index 60f8019..22d1f3e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/AppsRecyclerAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/AppsRecyclerAdapter.kt
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ class AppsRecyclerAdapter(
     private val apps = (activity.applicationContext as Application).apps
     private val appsListDisplayed: MutableList<DetailedAppInfo> = mutableListOf()
 
+    // temporarily disable auto launch
+    var disableAutoLaunch: Boolean = false
+
     init {
         apps.observe(this.activity as AppCompatActivity) {
             updateAppsList()
@@ -205,6 +208,7 @@ class AppsRecyclerAdapter(
         if (triggerAutoLaunch &&
             appsListDisplayed.size == 1
             && intention == ListActivity.ListActivityIntention.VIEW
+            && !disableAutoLaunch
             && LauncherPreferences.functionality().searchAutoLaunch()
         ) {
             val info = appsListDisplayed[0]
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/ListFragmentApps.kt b/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/ListFragmentApps.kt
index d870211..55f07a5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/ListFragmentApps.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/jrpie/android/launcher/ui/list/apps/ListFragmentApps.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import android.view.LayoutInflater
 import android.view.View
 import android.view.ViewGroup
 import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment
+import de.jrpie.android.launcher.R
 import de.jrpie.android.launcher.apps.AppFilter
 import de.jrpie.android.launcher.databinding.ListAppsBinding
 import de.jrpie.android.launcher.preferences.LauncherPreferences
@@ -26,11 +27,11 @@ import de.jrpie.android.launcher.ui.openSoftKeyboard
  */
 class ListFragmentApps : Fragment(), UIObject {
     private lateinit var binding: ListAppsBinding
-    private lateinit var appsRViewAdapter: AppsRecyclerAdapter
+    private lateinit var appsRecyclerAdapter: AppsRecyclerAdapter
 
     private var sharedPreferencesListener =
         SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceChangeListener { _, _ ->
-            appsRViewAdapter.updateAppsList()
+            appsRecyclerAdapter.updateAppsList()
         }
 
     override fun onCreateView(
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ class ListFragmentApps : Fragment(), UIObject {
 
     override fun adjustLayout() {
 
-        appsRViewAdapter =
+        appsRecyclerAdapter =
             AppsRecyclerAdapter(
                 requireActivity(), binding.root, intention, forGesture,
                 appFilter = AppFilter(
@@ -79,26 +80,40 @@ class ListFragmentApps : Fragment(), UIObject {
             // improve performance (since content changes don't change the layout size)
             setHasFixedSize(true)
             layoutManager = LauncherPreferences.list().layout().layoutManager(context)
-            adapter = appsRViewAdapter
+            adapter = appsRecyclerAdapter
         }
 
         binding.listAppsSearchview.setOnQueryTextListener(object :
             androidx.appcompat.widget.SearchView.OnQueryTextListener {
 
             override fun onQueryTextSubmit(query: String): Boolean {
-                appsRViewAdapter.setSearchString(query)
+                appsRecyclerAdapter.setSearchString(query)
 
                 if (LauncherPreferences.functionality().searchWeb()) {
                     val i = Intent(Intent.ACTION_WEB_SEARCH).putExtra("query", query)
                     activity?.startActivity(i)
                 } else {
-                    appsRViewAdapter.selectItem(0)
+                    appsRecyclerAdapter.selectItem(0)
                 }
                 return true
             }
 
             override fun onQueryTextChange(newText: String): Boolean {
-                appsRViewAdapter.setSearchString(newText)
+
+                if (newText == " " &&
+                    !appsRecyclerAdapter.disableAutoLaunch &&
+                    intention == ListActivity.ListActivityIntention.VIEW &&
+                    LauncherPreferences.functionality().searchAutoLaunch()
+                ) {
+                    appsRecyclerAdapter.disableAutoLaunch = true
+                    binding.listAppsSearchview.apply {
+                        queryHint = context.getString(R.string.list_apps_search_hint_no_auto_launch)
+                        setQuery("", false)
+                    }
+                    return false
+                }
+
+                appsRecyclerAdapter.setSearchString(newText)
                 return false
             }
         })
@@ -110,7 +125,7 @@ class ListFragmentApps : Fragment(), UIObject {
                 } else {
                     AppFilter.Companion.AppSetVisibility.VISIBLE
                 }
-            appsRViewAdapter.setFavoritesVisibility(favoritesVisibility)
+            appsRecyclerAdapter.setFavoritesVisibility(favoritesVisibility)
             (activity as? ListActivity)?.updateTitle()
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 37d0e84..60e8697 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -201,7 +201,8 @@
     <string name="list_removed">Removed the selected application</string>
     <string name="list_not_removed">Unable to remove application</string>
 
-    <string name="list_apps_search_hint">Search Applications</string>
+    <string name="list_apps_search_hint">Search</string>
+    <string name="list_apps_search_hint_no_auto_launch">Search (auto launch disabled)</string>
 
     <string name="list_other_settings">µLauncher Settings</string>
     <string name="list_other_list">All Applications</string>
diff --git a/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/36.txt b/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/36.txt
index b5cd0c1..127dbfc 100644
--- a/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/36.txt
+++ b/fastlane/metadata/android/en-US/changelogs/36.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+* prefix search query with space to temporarily disable auto launch
 * improved French translation (thank you, Alexandre Ancel and Nin Dan!)