diff --git a/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/ImportForm.tsx b/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/ImportForm.tsx
index 7a0b510f59..b053dd4939 100644
--- a/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/ImportForm.tsx
+++ b/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/ImportForm.tsx
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ const ImportForm = observer(({ model }: { model: LGV }) => {
     const [ref, rest] = location.split(':')
     const allRefs = assembly?.allRefNames || []
     try {
+      // instead of querying text-index, first:
+      // - check if input matches a refname directly
+      // - or looks like locstring
+      // then just navigate as if it were a locstring
       if (
         allRefs.includes(location) ||
         (allRefs.includes(ref) &&
diff --git a/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/SearchBox.tsx b/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/SearchBox.tsx
index d3b803d8ae..8858c67ef7 100644
--- a/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/SearchBox.tsx
+++ b/plugins/linear-genome-view/src/LinearGenomeView/components/SearchBox.tsx
@@ -58,20 +58,32 @@ function SearchBox({
     )
   }
 
-  async function handleSelectedRegion(option: BaseResult) {
+  // gets a string as input, or use stored option results from previous query,
+  // then re-query and
+  // 1) if it has multiple results: pop a dialog
+  // 2) if it's a single result navigate to it
+  // 3) else assume it's a locstring and navigate to it
+  async function handleSelectedRegion(
+    option: BaseResult,
+    assemblyName: string,
+  ) {
     let trackId = option.getTrackId()
     let location = option.getLocation()
     const label = option.getLabel()
     const [ref, rest] = location.split(':')
     const allRefs = assembly?.allRefNames || []
     try {
+      // instead of querying text-index, first:
+      // - check if input matches a refName directly
+      // - or looks like locString
+      // then just navigate as if it were a locString
       if (
         allRefs.includes(location) ||
         (allRefs.includes(ref) &&
           rest !== undefined &&
           !Number.isNaN(parseInt(rest, 10)))
       ) {
-        model.navToLocString(location)
+        model.navToLocString(location, assemblyName)
       } else {
         const results = await fetchResults(label, 'exact')
         if (results.length > 1) {