diff --git a/gracedb/search/forms.py b/gracedb/search/forms.py
index 59ac2e2df5c8e2269b4b82b295477e7cb606f498..cf3b1635c0ed95c6fa19f581b52d5f1600fe154b 100644
--- a/gracedb/search/forms.py
+++ b/gracedb/search/forms.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class MainSearchForm(forms.Form):
     query = forms.CharField(required=False, widget=forms.TextInput(
         attrs={'size': 60}))
     query_type = forms.ChoiceField(required=True,
-        choices=QUERY_TYPE_CHOICES, label="Search for", initial='E')
+        choices=QUERY_TYPE_CHOICES, label="Search for", initial='S')
     get_neighbors = forms.BooleanField(required=False,
         help_text="(Events only)")
     results_format = forms.ChoiceField(required=False, initial='S',
diff --git a/gracedb/search/views.py b/gracedb/search/views.py
index 55b4867de72c4e3cbeffa3bd82cf03505fd0c80d..8984a603361693e31de10d675d0478dba1f6f31f 100644
--- a/gracedb/search/views.py
+++ b/gracedb/search/views.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def search(request):
             context['query_type'] = query_type
             context['get_neighbors'] = get_neighbors
     else:
+        # Initial page with no query
         form = MainSearchForm()
 
     # Update context
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ def latest(request):
     if "query" in request.GET:
         form = MainSearchForm(request.GET)
     else:
-        form = MainSearchForm({'query': "", 'query_type': 'E'})
+        form = MainSearchForm({'query': "", 'query_type': 'S'})
 
     # Hide get_neighbors widget
     form.fields['get_neighbors'].widget = forms.HiddenInput()