diff --git a/lib/docs/main.js b/lib/docs/main.js
index 504c708b45..bca4d6c84e 100644
--- a/lib/docs/main.js
+++ b/lib/docs/main.js
@@ -127,16 +127,20 @@ const NAV_MODES = {
   window.guideSearch = guidesSearchIndex;
   parseGuides();
 
-  
+  // identifiers can contain '?' so we want to allow typing
+  // the question mark when the search is focused instead of toggling the help modal
+  let canToggleHelpModal = true;
 
   domSearch.disabled = false;
   domSearch.addEventListener("keydown", onSearchKeyDown, false);
   domSearch.addEventListener("focus", ev => {
     domSearchPlaceholder.classList.add("hidden");
+    canToggleHelpModal = false;
   });
   domSearch.addEventListener("blur", ev => {
     if (domSearch.value.length == 0)
       domSearchPlaceholder.classList.remove("hidden");
+    canToggleHelpModal = true;
   });
   domSectSearchAllResultsLink.addEventListener('click', onClickSearchShowAllResults, false);
   function onClickSearchShowAllResults(ev) {
@@ -4044,6 +4048,8 @@ function addDeclToSearchResults(decl, declIndex, modNames, item, list, stack) {
         }
         break;
       case "?":
+        if (!canToggleHelpModal) break;
+
         // toggle the help modal
         if (!domHelpModal.classList.contains("hidden")) {
             onEscape(ev);