diff --git a/res/layout/qsb_bar.xml b/res/layout/qsb_bar.xml
index f0e3bbfce0..030acf6be4 100644
--- a/res/layout/qsb_bar.xml
+++ b/res/layout/qsb_bar.xml
@@ -20,13 +20,6 @@
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="match_parent">
 
-    <!-- Search buttons container -->
-    <include android:id="@+id/qsb_search_bar"
-        layout="@layout/search_bar"
-        android:layout_width="match_parent"
-        android:layout_height="match_parent"
-        android:layout_gravity="center" />
-
     <!-- Drag specific targets container -->
     <LinearLayout
         style="@style/SearchDropTargetBar"
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/DrawableStateProxyView.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/DrawableStateProxyView.java
index 196e2f2e12..0758de1f77 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/DrawableStateProxyView.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/DrawableStateProxyView.java
@@ -58,8 +58,10 @@ public class DrawableStateProxyView extends LinearLayout {
             View parent = (View) getParent();
             mView = parent.findViewById(mViewId);
         }
-        mView.setPressed(isPressed());
-        mView.setHovered(isHovered());
+        if (mView != null) {
+            mView.setPressed(isPressed());
+            mView.setHovered(isHovered());
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/DynamicGrid.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/DynamicGrid.java
index 37cccfbd30..593c4defbf 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/DynamicGrid.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/DynamicGrid.java
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class DeviceProfile {
         searchBarSpace.setLayoutParams(lp);
 
         // Layout the search bar
-        View searchBar = searchBarSpace.findViewById(R.id.qsb_search_bar);
+        View searchBar = launcher.getQsbBar();
         lp = (FrameLayout.LayoutParams) searchBar.getLayoutParams();
         lp.width = LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT;
         lp.height = LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT;
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/Launcher.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/Launcher.java
index d91fee8682..85bcdc0191 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/Launcher.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/Launcher.java
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ public class Launcher extends Activity
     private AppsCustomizeTabHost mAppsCustomizeTabHost;
     private AppsCustomizePagedView mAppsCustomizeContent;
     private boolean mAutoAdvanceRunning = false;
+    private View mQsbBar;
 
     private Bundle mSavedState;
     // We set the state in both onCreate and then onNewIntent in some cases, which causes both
@@ -413,8 +414,8 @@ public class Launcher extends Activity
 
         checkForLocaleChange();
         setContentView(R.layout.launcher);
-        grid.layout(this);
         setupViews();
+        grid.layout(this);
         showFirstRunWorkspaceCling();
 
         registerContentObservers();
@@ -3247,7 +3248,14 @@ public class Launcher extends Activity
         }
     }
 
-    private boolean updateGlobalSearchIcon() {
+    public View getQsbBar() {
+        if (mQsbBar == null) {
+            mQsbBar = mInflater.inflate(R.layout.qsb_bar, mSearchDropTargetBar);
+        }
+        return mQsbBar;
+    }
+
+    protected boolean updateGlobalSearchIcon() {
         final View searchButtonContainer = findViewById(R.id.search_button_container);
         final ImageView searchButton = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.search_button);
         final View voiceButtonContainer = findViewById(R.id.voice_button_container);
@@ -3282,14 +3290,14 @@ public class Launcher extends Activity
         }
     }
 
-    private void updateGlobalSearchIcon(Drawable.ConstantState d) {
+    protected void updateGlobalSearchIcon(Drawable.ConstantState d) {
         final View searchButtonContainer = findViewById(R.id.search_button_container);
         final View searchButton = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.search_button);
         updateButtonWithDrawable(R.id.search_button, d);
         invalidatePressedFocusedStates(searchButtonContainer, searchButton);
     }
 
-    private boolean updateVoiceSearchIcon(boolean searchVisible) {
+    protected boolean updateVoiceSearchIcon(boolean searchVisible) {
         final View voiceButtonContainer = findViewById(R.id.voice_button_container);
         final View voiceButton = findViewById(R.id.voice_button);
 
@@ -3335,7 +3343,7 @@ public class Launcher extends Activity
         }
     }
 
-    private void updateVoiceSearchIcon(Drawable.ConstantState d) {
+    protected void updateVoiceSearchIcon(Drawable.ConstantState d) {
         final View voiceButtonContainer = findViewById(R.id.voice_button_container);
         final View voiceButton = findViewById(R.id.voice_button);
         updateButtonWithDrawable(R.id.voice_button, d);
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/SearchDropTargetBar.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/SearchDropTargetBar.java
index 8f1b5d2d2f..0a0861f47e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/SearchDropTargetBar.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/SearchDropTargetBar.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.graphics.Rect;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.animation.AccelerateInterpolator;
 import android.widget.FrameLayout;
@@ -71,6 +72,14 @@ public class SearchDropTargetBar extends FrameLayout implements DragController.D
         dragController.setFlingToDeleteDropTarget(mDeleteDropTarget);
         mInfoDropTarget.setLauncher(launcher);
         mDeleteDropTarget.setLauncher(launcher);
+        mQSBSearchBar = launcher.getQsbBar();
+        if (mEnableDropDownDropTargets) {
+            mQSBSearchBarAnim = LauncherAnimUtils.ofFloat(mQSBSearchBar, "translationY", 0,
+                    -mBarHeight);
+        } else {
+            mQSBSearchBarAnim = LauncherAnimUtils.ofFloat(mQSBSearchBar, "alpha", 1f, 0f);
+        }
+        setupAnimation(mQSBSearchBarAnim, mQSBSearchBar);
     }
 
     private void prepareStartAnimation(View v) {
@@ -95,7 +104,6 @@ public class SearchDropTargetBar extends FrameLayout implements DragController.D
         super.onFinishInflate();
 
         // Get the individual components
-        mQSBSearchBar = findViewById(R.id.qsb_search_bar);
         mDropTargetBar = findViewById(R.id.drag_target_bar);
         mInfoDropTarget = (ButtonDropTarget) mDropTargetBar.findViewById(R.id.info_target_text);
         mDeleteDropTarget = (ButtonDropTarget) mDropTargetBar.findViewById(R.id.delete_target_text);
@@ -114,15 +122,12 @@ public class SearchDropTargetBar extends FrameLayout implements DragController.D
             mDropTargetBar.setTranslationY(-mBarHeight);
             mDropTargetBarAnim = LauncherAnimUtils.ofFloat(mDropTargetBar, "translationY",
                     -mBarHeight, 0f);
-            mQSBSearchBarAnim = LauncherAnimUtils.ofFloat(mQSBSearchBar, "translationY", 0,
-                    -mBarHeight);
+
         } else {
             mDropTargetBar.setAlpha(0f);
             mDropTargetBarAnim = LauncherAnimUtils.ofFloat(mDropTargetBar, "alpha", 0f, 1f);
-            mQSBSearchBarAnim = LauncherAnimUtils.ofFloat(mQSBSearchBar, "alpha", 1f, 0f);
         }
         setupAnimation(mDropTargetBarAnim, mDropTargetBar);
-        setupAnimation(mQSBSearchBarAnim, mQSBSearchBar);
     }
 
     public void finishAnimations() {