diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/search.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/search.contribution.ts
index 22f4f3467de35..7cf58147ab2e7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/search.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/search.contribution.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import { OpenSymbolHandler } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/openSymbo
 import { registerContributions as replaceContributions } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/replaceContributions';
 import { clearHistoryCommand, ClearSearchResultsAction, CloseReplaceAction, CollapseDeepestExpandedLevelAction, copyAllCommand, copyMatchCommand, copyPathCommand, FocusNextInputAction, FocusNextSearchResultAction, FocusPreviousInputAction, FocusPreviousSearchResultAction, focusSearchListCommand, getSearchView, openSearchView, OpenSearchViewletAction, RefreshAction, RemoveAction, ReplaceAction, ReplaceAllAction, ReplaceAllInFolderAction, ReplaceInFilesAction, toggleCaseSensitiveCommand, toggleRegexCommand, toggleWholeWordCommand, FindInFilesCommand, ToggleSearchOnTypeAction } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchActions';
 import { SearchPanel } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchPanel';
-import { SearchView } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView';
+import { SearchView, SearchViewPosition } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView';
 import { SearchViewlet } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchViewlet';
 import { registerContributions as searchWidgetContributions } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchWidget';
 import * as Constants from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/common/constants';
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ class RegisterSearchViewContribution implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 				}
 			} else {
 				Registry.as<PanelRegistry>(PanelExtensions.Panels).deregisterPanel(PANEL_ID);
-				viewsRegistry.registerViews([{ id: VIEW_ID, name: nls.localize('search', "Search"), ctorDescriptor: { ctor: SearchView }, canToggleVisibility: false }], VIEW_CONTAINER);
+				viewsRegistry.registerViews([{ id: VIEW_ID, name: nls.localize('search', "Search"), ctorDescriptor: { ctor: SearchView, arguments: [SearchViewPosition.SideBar] }, canToggleVisibility: false }], VIEW_CONTAINER);
 				if (open) {
 					viewletService.openViewlet(VIEWLET_ID);
 				}
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchPanel.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchPanel.ts
index 0c50a100a55ae..54cf8e628d1fd 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchPanel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchPanel.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { ITelemetryService } from 'vs/platform/telemetry/common/telemetry';
 import { IStorageService } from 'vs/platform/storage/common/storage';
 import { IThemeService } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
 import { PANEL_ID } from 'vs/workbench/services/search/common/search';
-import { SearchView } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView';
+import { SearchView, SearchViewPosition } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView';
 import { Panel } from 'vs/workbench/browser/panel';
 import { IInstantiationService } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
 import { localize } from 'vs/nls';
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export class SearchPanel extends Panel {
 		@IInstantiationService instantiationService: IInstantiationService,
 	) {
 		super(PANEL_ID, telemetryService, themeService, storageService);
-		this.searchView = this._register(instantiationService.createInstance(SearchView, { id: PANEL_ID, title: localize('search', "Search"), actionRunner: this.getActionRunner() }));
+		this.searchView = this._register(instantiationService.createInstance(SearchView, SearchViewPosition.Panel, { id: PANEL_ID, title: localize('search', "Search"), actionRunner: this.getActionRunner() }));
 		this._register(this.searchView.onDidChangeTitleArea(() => this.updateTitleArea()));
 		this._register(this.onDidChangeVisibility(visible => this.searchView.setVisible(visible)));
 	}
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView.ts
index 8d9eb83dc9454..26df3d5d2dbd2 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/search/browser/searchView.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ import { IKeybindingService } from 'vs/platform/keybinding/common/keybinding';
 import { Memento, MementoObject } from 'vs/workbench/common/memento';
 import { IStorageService, StorageScope } from 'vs/platform/storage/common/storage';
 import { IOpenerService } from 'vs/platform/opener/common/opener';
-import { SIDE_BAR_BACKGROUND } from 'vs/workbench/common/theme';
+import { SIDE_BAR_BACKGROUND, PANEL_BACKGROUND } from 'vs/workbench/common/theme';
 
 const $ = dom.$;
 
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ enum SearchUIState {
 	SlowSearch
 }
 
+export enum SearchViewPosition {
+	SideBar,
+	Panel
+}
+
 const SEARCH_CANCELLED_MESSAGE = nls.localize('searchCanceled', "Search was canceled before any results could be found - ");
 export class SearchView extends ViewletPanel {
 
@@ -133,6 +138,7 @@ export class SearchView extends ViewletPanel {
 	private addToSearchHistoryDelayer: Delayer<void>;
 
 	constructor(
+		private position: SearchViewPosition,
 		options: IViewletPanelOptions,
 		@IFileService private readonly fileService: IFileService,
 		@IEditorService private readonly editorService: IEditorService,
@@ -157,7 +163,7 @@ export class SearchView extends ViewletPanel {
 		@IStorageService storageService: IStorageService,
 		@IOpenerService private readonly openerService: IOpenerService
 	) {
-		super({ ...(options as IViewletPanelOptions), id: VIEW_ID, ariaHeaderLabel: nls.localize('searchView', "Search") }, keybindingService, contextMenuService, configurationService, contextKeyService);
+		super({ ...options, id: VIEW_ID, ariaHeaderLabel: nls.localize('searchView', "Search") }, keybindingService, contextMenuService, configurationService, contextKeyService);
 
 		this.viewletVisible = Constants.SearchViewVisibleKey.bindTo(contextKeyService);
 		this.viewletFocused = Constants.SearchViewFocusedKey.bindTo(contextKeyService);
@@ -654,7 +660,7 @@ export class SearchView extends ViewletPanel {
 				dnd: this.instantiationService.createInstance(SearchDND),
 				multipleSelectionSupport: false,
 				overrideStyles: {
-					listBackground: SIDE_BAR_BACKGROUND
+					listBackground: this.position === SearchViewPosition.SideBar ? SIDE_BAR_BACKGROUND : PANEL_BACKGROUND
 				}
 			}));
 		this._register(this.tree.onContextMenu(e => this.onContextMenu(e)));