diff --git a/book/src/keymap.md b/book/src/keymap.md
index 28113ea0b..10693b208 100644
--- a/book/src/keymap.md
+++ b/book/src/keymap.md
@@ -154,13 +154,13 @@ ### Search
 
 Search commands all operate on the `/` register by default. To use a different register, use `"<char>`.
 
-| Key   | Description                                 | Command              |
-| ----- | -----------                                 | -------              |
-| `/`   | Search for regex pattern                    | `search`             |
-| `?`   | Search for previous pattern                 | `rsearch`            |
-| `n`   | Select next search match                    | `search_next`        |
-| `N`   | Select previous search match                | `search_prev`        |
-| `*`   | Use current selection as the search pattern | `search_selection`   |
+| Key   | Description                                                                                                           | Command              |
+| ----- | -----------                                                                                                           | -------              |
+| `/`   | Search for regex pattern                                                                                              | `search`             |
+| `?`   | Search for previous pattern                                                                                           | `rsearch`            |
+| `n`   | Select next search match                                                                                              | `search_next`        |
+| `N`   | Select previous search match                                                                                          | `search_prev`        |
+| `*`   | Use current selection as the search pattern, if only a single char is selected the current word (miW) is used instead | `search_selection`   |
 
 ### Minor modes
 
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 61855d356..c847ca3df 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -2266,19 +2266,37 @@ fn extend_search_prev(cx: &mut Context) {
 
 fn search_selection(cx: &mut Context) {
     let register = cx.register.unwrap_or('/');
+    let count = cx.count();
     let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
     let contents = doc.text().slice(..);
 
-    let regex = doc
-        .selection(view.id)
-        .iter()
-        .map(|selection| regex::escape(&selection.fragment(contents)))
-        .collect::<HashSet<_>>() // Collect into hashset to deduplicate identical regexes
-        .into_iter()
-        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
-        .join("|");
+    // Checks whether there is only one selection with a width of 1
+    let selections = doc.selection(view.id);
+    let primary = selections.primary();
+    let regex = if selections.len() == 1 && primary.len() == 1 {
+        let text = doc.text();
+        let text_slice = text.slice(..);
+        // In this case select the WORD under the cursor
+        let current_word = textobject::textobject_word(
+            text_slice,
+            primary,
+            textobject::TextObject::Inside,
+            count,
+            false,
+        );
+        let text_to_search = current_word.fragment(text_slice).to_string();
+        regex::escape(&text_to_search)
+    } else {
+        selections
+            .iter()
+            .map(|selection| regex::escape(&selection.fragment(contents)))
+            .collect::<HashSet<_>>() // Collect into hashset to deduplicate identical regexes
+            .into_iter()
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join("|")
+    };
 
-    let msg = format!("register '{}' set to '{}'", register, &regex);
+    let msg = format!("register '{}' set to '{}'", '/', &regex);
     match cx.editor.registers.push(register, regex) {
         Ok(_) => {
             cx.editor.registers.last_search_register = register;
diff --git a/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs b/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs
index f71ae308d..d8e5f2a98 100644
--- a/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/tests/test/commands.rs
@@ -178,6 +178,56 @@ fn match_paths(app: &Application, matches: Vec<&str>) -> usize {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
+async fn test_search_selection() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    // Single selection with a length of 1: search for the whole word
+    test_key_sequence(
+        &mut helpers::AppBuilder::new().build()?,
+        Some("ifoobar::baz<esc>3bl*"), // 3b places the cursor on the first letter of 'foobar', then move one to the right for good measure
+        Some(&|app| {
+            assert!(
+                r#"register '/' set to 'foobar'"# == app.editor.get_status().unwrap().0
+                    && Some(&"foobar".to_string()) == app.editor.registers.first('/')
+            );
+        }),
+        false,
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    // Single selection with a length greather than 1: only search for the selection
+    test_key_sequence(
+        &mut helpers::AppBuilder::new().build()?,
+        Some("ifoobar::baz<esc>3blvll*"), // 3b places the cursor on the first letter of 'foobar', then move one to the right for good measure, then select two more chars for a total of three
+        Some(&|app| {
+            assert!(
+                r#"register '/' set to 'oob'"# == app.editor.get_status().unwrap().0
+                    && Some(&"oob".to_string()) == app.editor.registers.first('/')
+            );
+        }),
+        false,
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    // Multiple selection of length 1 each : should still only search for the selection
+    test_key_sequence(
+        &mut helpers::AppBuilder::new().build()?,
+        Some("ifoobar::baz<ret>bar::crux<esc>k3blC*"), // k3b places the cursor on the first letter of 'foobar', then move one to the right for good measure, then adds a cursor on the line below
+        Some(&|app| {
+            assert!(
+                // The selections don't seem to be ordered, so we have to test for the two possible orders.
+                (r#"register '/' set to 'o|a'"# == app.editor.get_status().unwrap().0
+                    || r#"register '/' set to 'a|o'"# == app.editor.get_status().unwrap().0)
+                    && (Some(&"o|a".to_string()) == app.editor.registers.first('/')
+                        || Some(&"a|o".to_string()) == app.editor.registers.first('/'))
+            );
+        }),
+        false,
+    )
+    .await?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread")]
 async fn test_multi_selection_paste() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     test((