diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu-panel.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu-panel.hbs
index 51d562c165e..e5009a35c21 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu-panel.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu-panel.hbs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <MenuPanel @animationClass={{this.animationClass}}>
   <SearchMenu
-    @closeSearchMenu={{@closeSearchMenu}}
+    @onClose={{@closeSearchMenu}}
     @inlineResults={{true}}
     @autofocusInput={{true}}
   />
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu.js
index 4987b2980a3..91df1cbb19c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/components/search-menu.js
@@ -51,24 +51,30 @@ export default class SearchMenu extends Component {
 
   @bind
   setupEventListeners() {
-    document.addEventListener("mousedown", this.onDocumentPress, true);
-    document.addEventListener("touchend", this.onDocumentPress, {
-      capture: true,
-      passive: true,
-    });
+    // We only need to register click events when the search menu is rendered outside of the header.
+    // The header handles clicking outside.
+    if (!this.args.inlineResults) {
+      document.addEventListener("mousedown", this.onDocumentPress);
+      document.addEventListener("touchend", this.onDocumentPress);
+    }
   }
 
   willDestroy() {
-    document.removeEventListener("mousedown", this.onDocumentPress);
-    document.removeEventListener("touchend", this.onDocumentPress);
-
+    if (!this.args.inlineResults) {
+      document.removeEventListener("mousedown", this.onDocumentPress);
+      document.removeEventListener("touchend", this.onDocumentPress);
+    }
     super.willDestroy(...arguments);
   }
 
   @bind
   onDocumentPress(event) {
+    if (!this.menuPanelOpen) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (!event.target.closest(".search-menu-container.menu-panel-results")) {
-      this.menuPanelOpen = false;
+      this.close();
     }
   }
 
@@ -100,13 +106,13 @@ export default class SearchMenu extends Component {
 
   @action
   close() {
-    if (this.args?.closeSearchMenu) {
-      return this.args.closeSearchMenu();
+    if (this.args?.onClose) {
+      return this.args.onClose();
     }
 
-    // We want to blur the active element (search input) when in stand-alone mode
+    // We want to blur the search input when in stand-alone mode
     // so that when we focus on the search input again, the menu panel pops up
-    document.activeElement.blur();
+    document.getElementById(SEARCH_INPUT_ID)?.blur();
     this.menuPanelOpen = false;
   }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/integration/components/search-menu-test.gjs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/integration/components/search-menu-test.gjs
index 1a953b3d05b..e477ddc946f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/integration/components/search-menu-test.gjs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/integration/components/search-menu-test.gjs
@@ -55,4 +55,27 @@ module("Integration | Component | search-menu", function (hooks) {
       "Clicking the term brought back search results"
     );
   });
+
+  test("clicking outside results hides and blurs input", async function (assert) {
+    await render(<template><div id="click-me"><SearchMenu /></div></template>);
+    await click("#search-term");
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      document.activeElement,
+      query("#search-term"),
+      "Clicking the search term input focuses it"
+    );
+
+    await click("#click-me");
+
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      document.activeElement,
+      document.body,
+      "Clicking outside blurs focus and closes panel"
+    );
+    assert.notOk(
+      exists(".menu-panel .search-menu-initial-options"),
+      "Menu panel is hidden"
+    );
+  });
 });