diff --git a/pvc-vue/src/components/general/VMSearchBar.vue b/pvc-vue/src/components/general/VMSearchBar.vue
index 3cbc2e4..a55b3f2 100644
--- a/pvc-vue/src/components/general/VMSearchBar.vue
+++ b/pvc-vue/src/components/general/VMSearchBar.vue
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
         <input 
           type="text" 
           placeholder="Search VMs..." 
-          :value="!showList ? selectedVM : modelValue"
+          :value="inputValue"
           @input="handleSearch"
           @focus="handleFocus"
           @blur="handleBlur"
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
           v-for="vm in filteredVMs"
           :key="vm.name"
           class="vm-list-item"
-          :class="{ 'active': selectedVM === vm.name }"
+          :class="{ 'active': selectedVM === vm.name || vmFromUrl === vm.name }"
           @click="handleVMSelect(vm)"
         >
           <div class="vm-item-content">
@@ -130,9 +130,22 @@ const props = defineProps({
   selectedVM: {
     type: String,
     default: ''
+  },
+  vmFromUrl: {
+    type: String,
+    default: ''
   }
 });
 
+// Direct debug log of props
+console.log('VMSearchBar props:', {
+  modelValue: props.modelValue,
+  showList: props.showList,
+  selectedVM: props.selectedVM,
+  vmFromUrl: props.vmFromUrl,
+  vmListLength: props.vmList.length
+});
+
 const emit = defineEmits([
   'update:modelValue',
   'search',
@@ -159,6 +172,31 @@ const appliedFilters = ref({
 // Add new ref for tracking search active state
 const searchActive = ref(false);
 
+// Local ref to track input value
+const inputValue = ref('');
+
+// Watch both showList and selectedVM to update input value
+watch([() => props.showList, () => props.selectedVM, () => props.vmFromUrl], 
+  ([showList, selectedVM, vmFromUrl]) => {
+    console.log('Watch triggered:', { showList, selectedVM, vmFromUrl });
+    const effectiveVM = selectedVM || vmFromUrl;
+    if (!showList && effectiveVM) {
+      // When list is closed, show selected VM or VM from URL
+      inputValue.value = effectiveVM;
+    } else {
+      // When list is open, show search query
+      inputValue.value = props.modelValue || '';
+    }
+  }, { immediate: true }
+);
+
+// Watch modelValue to update input when searching
+watch(() => props.modelValue, (newVal) => {
+  if (props.showList) {
+    inputValue.value = newVal || '';
+  }
+});
+
 // Calculate available states from vmList
 const availableStates = computed(() => {
   const states = new Set();
@@ -274,9 +312,11 @@ const filteredVMs = computed(() => {
 
 // Methods
 const handleSearch = (event) => {
-  searchActive.value = true;
-  emit('update:modelValue', event.target.value);
-  emit('search', event.target.value);
+  if (props.showList) {
+    searchActive.value = true;
+    emit('update:modelValue', event.target.value);
+    emit('search', event.target.value);
+  }
 };
 
 const handleFocus = (event) => {
@@ -294,6 +334,7 @@ const clearSearch = () => {
 };
 
 const toggleList = () => {
+  console.log('toggleList called, showList:', props.showList);
   searchActive.value = false;
   if (props.showList) {
     // If we're closing the list, clear the search
@@ -303,6 +344,8 @@ const toggleList = () => {
 };
 
 const handleVMSelect = (vm) => {
+  console.log('handleVMSelect called with:', vm);
+  emit('update:modelValue', ''); // Clear search query
   emit('select-vm', vm);
 };
 
@@ -347,6 +390,15 @@ onMounted(() => {
 onUnmounted(() => {
   document.removeEventListener('click', handleClickOutside);
 });
+
+// Add a watcher for selectedVM with a debug log
+watch(() => props.selectedVM, (newVal, oldVal) => {
+  console.log('VMSearchBar selectedVM changed:', { newVal, oldVal });
+  // Update input value when selectedVM changes
+  if (!props.showList && newVal) {
+    inputValue.value = newVal;
+  }
+}, { immediate: true });
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
diff --git a/pvc-vue/src/components/pages/vms/VMOverview.vue b/pvc-vue/src/components/pages/vms/VMOverview.vue
index 282e632..a10d9c9 100644
--- a/pvc-vue/src/components/pages/vms/VMOverview.vue
+++ b/pvc-vue/src/components/pages/vms/VMOverview.vue
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 <template>
   <div class="overview-container">
     <VMSearchBar
+      :key="searchBarKey"
       v-model="searchQuery"
+      :selected-vm="selectedVM"
+      :vm-from-url="route.query.vm"
       :show-list="showVMList"
       :show-clear-button="true"
       :vm-list="props.vmData"
-      :selected-vm="selectedVM"
       @search="handleSearch"
       @focus="handleSearchFocus"
       @blur="handleSearchBlur"
@@ -139,11 +141,15 @@ const props = defineProps({
     type: Object,
     required: true,
     default: () => ({})
+  },
+  loading: {
+    type: Boolean,
+    default: false
   }
 });
 
-// State
-const selectedVM = ref('');
+// Use ref and sync with route
+const selectedVM = ref(route.query.vm || '');
 const searchQuery = ref('');
 const showVMList = ref(true);
 const searchActive = ref(false);
@@ -194,21 +200,11 @@ const toggleVMList = () => {
 
 // Select a VM
 const selectVM = (vm) => {
-  isLoading.value = true;
-  nextTick(() => {
-    const vmExists = props.vmData.some(vm => vm.name === vm.name);
-    if (vmExists) {
-      selectedVM.value = vm.name;
-      invalidVMSelected.value = false;
-      showVMList.value = false;
-    } else {
-      selectedVM.value = '';
-      invalidVMSelected.value = true;
-      showVMList.value = false;
-    }
-    router.push({ query: { vm: vm.name } });
-    isLoading.value = false;
-  });
+  // Update the ref first
+  selectedVM.value = vm.name;
+  invalidVMSelected.value = false;
+  showVMList.value = false;
+  router.push({ query: { vm: vm.name } });
 };
 
 // Clear search
@@ -219,22 +215,22 @@ const clearSearch = () => {
 
 // Lifecycle hooks
 onMounted(() => {
-  // Initialize with URL state if present
+  console.log('VMOverview mounted, route.query.vm:', route.query.vm);
   const vmFromQuery = route.query.vm;
   if (vmFromQuery) {
+    console.log('Setting selectedVM to:', vmFromQuery);
+    selectedVM.value = vmFromQuery;
     isLoading.value = true;
-    // Check if we already have data
+    showVMList.value = false;
+    
+    // If we have data, verify the VM exists
     if (props.vmData.length) {
-      selectVM({ name: vmFromQuery });
-    } else {
-      // If no data yet, set the VM but mark as pending verification
-      selectedVM.value = vmFromQuery;
-      showVMList.value = false;
-      // Don't set invalidVMSelected yet - wait for data
+      const vmExists = props.vmData.some(v => v.name === vmFromQuery);
+      invalidVMSelected.value = !vmExists;
     }
+    isLoading.value = false;
   } else if (props.vmData.length > 0) {
     showVMList.value = true;
-    selectedVM.value = '';
     invalidVMSelected.value = false;
   }
 });
@@ -243,16 +239,19 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   // Remove event listeners and clean up resources
 });
 
-// Watch for route changes to update selected VM
+// Watch for route changes to update selectedVM
 watch(() => route.query.vm, (newVm) => {
+  // Explicitly update the ref when route changes
+  selectedVM.value = newVm || '';
   if (newVm) {
-    selectVM({ name: newVm });
+    // Just update UI state, don't trigger another route change
+    invalidVMSelected.value = false;
+    showVMList.value = false;
   } else if (props.vmData.length > 0) {
-    selectedVM.value = '';
     showVMList.value = true;
     invalidVMSelected.value = false;
   }
-});
+}, { immediate: true });
 
 // Watch for changes in the VM list visibility
 watch(() => showVMList.value, (isVisible) => {
@@ -266,17 +265,32 @@ watch(() => showVMList.value, (isVisible) => {
 
 // Add watcher for vmData to handle loading state
 watch(() => props.vmData, (newData) => {
-  if (isLoading.value && selectedVM.value) {
+  if (selectedVM.value && newData.length) {
     const vmExists = newData.some(vm => vm.name === selectedVM.value);
-    if (!vmExists) {
-      invalidVMSelected.value = true;
-    } else {
-      invalidVMSelected.value = false;
-    }
-    isLoading.value = false;
+    invalidVMSelected.value = !vmExists;
   }
 }, { immediate: true });
 
+// Add debug watcher
+watch(() => selectedVM.value, (newVal) => {
+  console.log('VMOverview selectedVM changed:', newVal);
+}, { immediate: true });
+
+// Watch for vmData changes to update VMSearchBar
+watch(() => props.vmData, (newData) => {
+  if (newData.length && selectedVM.value) {
+    console.log('VM data loaded, updating VMSearchBar with selectedVM:', selectedVM.value);
+    // Force a refresh of the VMSearchBar by toggling a key
+    nextTick(() => {
+      // This will force the VMSearchBar to re-render with the correct data
+      searchBarKey.value = Date.now();
+    });
+  }
+});
+
+// Add a key to force VMSearchBar to re-render when data changes
+const searchBarKey = ref(0);
+
 // Helper functions
 const getStateColor = (state) => {
   if (!state) return '';
diff --git a/pvc-vue/src/views/VMs.vue b/pvc-vue/src/views/VMs.vue
index 4d0da68..6b11bb3 100644
--- a/pvc-vue/src/views/VMs.vue
+++ b/pvc-vue/src/views/VMs.vue
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
       :vmData="vmData"
       :metricsData="metricsData"
       :clusterData="clusterData"
+      :loading="isLoading"
     />
   </div>
 </template>
@@ -29,6 +30,10 @@ const props = defineProps({
     type: Object,
     required: true,
     default: () => ({})
+  },
+  isLoading: {
+    type: Boolean,
+    default: false
   }
 });
 </script>