diff --git a/src/routes/list/+page.svelte b/src/routes/list/+page.svelte
index e68396e..883e301 100644
--- a/src/routes/list/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/list/+page.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-	import { Debounced } from "runed";
 	import { useSearchParams } from "runed/kit";
 	import { onMount } from "svelte";
 	import { z } from "zod";
@@ -23,19 +22,23 @@
 
 	type PageStatus = "idle" | "loading" | "ready" | "error";
 
+	// This is the URL-backed state. `mal` only updates when you press Search.
+	// `status` can auto-update and re-run queries without pressing Search again.
 	const params = useSearchParams(ListSearchSchema, {
 		pushHistory: false,
 		showDefaults: false,
 	});
 
+	// Local form state (username does NOT update the URL on change)
+	let formMal = $state<string>("");
+
 	let status = $state<PageStatus>("idle");
 	let error = $state<string | null>(null);
 
 	let isLoadingMal = $state(false);
 	let isLoadingDb = $state(false);
 
-	// Keep MAL calls snappy if you later add more query params; for now it's mostly future-proofing.
-	const debouncedMalUser = new Debounced(() => params.mal ?? "", 1000);
+	let isSearching = $state(false);
 
 	type MalListResponse = z.infer<typeof MalAnimeListResponseSchema>;
 	type MalEntry = MalListResponse["data"][number];
@@ -47,6 +50,35 @@
 	type SongRow = Awaited<ReturnType<typeof getSongsForMalAnimeIds>>[number];
 	let songRows = $state<SongRow[]>([]);
 
+	function clearResults() {
+		malResponse = null;
+		malEntries = [];
+		malUsername = null;
+		songRows = [];
+	}
+
+	async function runSearchFor(username: string) {
+		const u = username.trim();
+		if (!u) {
+			clearResults();
+			return;
+		}
+
+		isSearching = true;
+		try {
+			await loadAllFor(u);
+		} finally {
+			isSearching = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	async function onSearch() {
+		// Sync username -> URL only on Search
+		params.mal = formMal;
+
+		await runSearchFor(formMal);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Fetch MAL animelist (limited to LIST_QUERY_LIMIT for now).
 	 * Uses zod schema parsing to avoid redefining types.
@@ -86,10 +118,7 @@
 	async function loadAllFor(username: string | undefined) {
 		const u = (username ?? "").trim();
 		if (!u) {
-			malResponse = null;
-			malEntries = [];
-			malUsername = null;
-			songRows = [];
+			clearResults();
 			return;
 		}
 
@@ -124,7 +153,12 @@
 		error = null;
 
 		try {
-			await loadAllFor(params.mal);
+			// Initialize local form username from URL once on load
+			formMal = params.mal ?? "";
+
+			// If the URL already has a username, load immediately (no URL writes)
+			await loadAllFor(formMal);
+
 			status = "ready";
 		} catch (e) {
 			error = e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e);
@@ -136,14 +170,14 @@
 		void loadInitial();
 	});
 
+	// Auto re-run the search whenever status changes *as long as we have a loaded username*.
 	$effect(() => {
 		if (status !== "ready") return;
-
-		const u = debouncedMalUser.current;
+		if (!malUsername) return;
 
 		void (async () => {
 			try {
-				await loadAllFor(u);
+				await runSearchFor(malUsername);
 			} catch (e) {
 				error = e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e);
 				status = "error";
@@ -174,8 +208,14 @@
 {:else if status === "error"}
 	<p class="mt-3 text-sm text-red-600">Error: {error}</p>
 {:else if status === "ready"}
-	<form class="mt-4 flex flex-col gap-2">
-		<div class="flex gap-2">
+	<form
+		class="mt-4 flex flex-col gap-2 center"
+		onsubmit={(e) => {
+			e.preventDefault();
+			void onSearch();
+		}}
+	>
+		<div class="flex flex-wrap gap-2">
 			<div class="flex flex-col gap-2">
 				<label class="text-sm text-muted-foreground" for="mal-user"
 					>MAL username</label
@@ -184,9 +224,9 @@
 					id="mal-user"
 					class="rounded border px-3 py-2 text-sm"
 					placeholder="e.g. CaZzzer"
-					value={params.mal ?? ""}
+					value={formMal}
 					oninput={(e) =>
-						(params.mal = (e.currentTarget as HTMLInputElement).value)}
+						(formMal = (e.currentTarget as HTMLInputElement).value)}
 					autocomplete="off"
 					spellcheck={false}
 				/>
@@ -199,10 +239,7 @@
 				<select
 					id="mal-status"
 					class="rounded border px-3 py-2 text-sm"
-					value={params.status}
-					onchange={(e) =>
-						(params.status = (e.currentTarget as HTMLSelectElement)
-							.value as typeof params.status)}
+					bind:value={params.status}
 				>
 					<option value="">All</option>
 					<option value="watching">Watching</option>
@@ -214,22 +251,37 @@
 			</div>
 		</div>
 
-		<div class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-			{#if !(params.mal ?? "").trim()}
-				Waiting for username…
-			{:else}
-				{#if isLoadingMal}
-					Fetching MAL list…
+		<div class="flex flex-col gap-2">
+			<button
+				type="submit"
+				class="rounded border px-3 py-2 text-sm"
+				disabled={isSearching ||
+					isLoadingMal ||
+					isLoadingDb ||
+					!(formMal ?? "").trim()}
+			>
+				{#if isSearching || isLoadingMal || isLoadingDb}
+					Searching…
 				{:else}
-					MAL entries: {malEntries.length} (limited to {LIST_QUERY_LIMIT})
+					Search
 				{/if}
-				{" • "}
-				{#if isLoadingDb}
-					Querying songs…
-				{:else}
-					Songs found: {songRows.length}
+			</button>
+
+			<div class="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+				{#if !(malUsername ?? "").trim()}{:else}
+					{#if isLoadingMal}
+						Fetching MAL list…
+					{:else}
+						MAL entries: {malEntries.length} (limited to {LIST_QUERY_LIMIT})
+					{/if}
+					{" • "}
+					{#if isLoadingDb}
+						Querying songs…
+					{:else}
+						Songs found: {songRows.length}
+					{/if}
 				{/if}
-			{/if}
+			</div>
 		</div>
 
 		{#if malUsername}
@@ -246,16 +298,16 @@
 		{/if}
 	</form>
 
-	{#if (params.mal ?? "").trim() && !isLoadingMal && malEntries.length === 0}
+	{#if (formMal ?? "").trim() && !isLoadingMal && malEntries.length === 0}
 		<p class="mt-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
 			No anime returned from MAL (did you set a restrictive status/sort?).
 		</p>
 	{/if}
 
-	{#if (params.mal ?? "").trim() && !isLoadingDb && malEntries.length > 0 && songRows.length === 0}
+	{#if (formMal ?? "").trim() && !isLoadingDb && malEntries.length > 0 && songRows.length === 0}
 		<p class="mt-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
 			No songs matched in the local database. This likely means none of the MAL
-			anime IDs exist in the snapshot DB.
+			anime IDs exist in the AMQ DB.
 		</p>
 	{/if}