diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
--- b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@
     return system_modules_confirm_form($visible_files, $form_state['storage']);
   }
 
-  // Filters.
+  // JS-only table filters.
   $form['filters'] = array(
     '#type' => 'container',
     '#attributes' => array(
@@ -817,12 +817,14 @@
     ),
   );
   $form['filters']['text'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'textfield',
-    '#title' => t('Filter by'),
-    '#placeholder' => t('Search module name…'),
+    '#type' => 'search',
+    '#title' => t('Search module list'),
+    '#title_display' => 'invisible',
+    '#size' => 20,
+    '#placeholder' => t('Search module...'),
     '#attributes' => array(
       'class' => array('table-filter-text'),
-      'rel' => '#system-modules',
+      'data-table' => '#system-modules',
       'autocomplete' => 'off',
     ),
   );
diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.base.css b/core/modules/system/system.base.css
--- b/core/modules/system/system.base.css
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.base.css
@@ -209,7 +209,6 @@
 .js-show {
   display: none;
 }
-
 .js .js-show {
   display: block;
 }
diff -u b/core/modules/system/system.modules.js b/core/modules/system/system.modules.js
--- b/core/modules/system/system.modules.js
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.modules.js
@@ -65,12 +65,19 @@
 };
 
 /**
- * Filter the module list based on the text value of the "filter_by" field.
+ * Filters the module list table by a text input search string.
+ *
+ * Additionally accounts for multiple tables being wrapped in "package" details
+ * elements.
+ *
+ * Text search input: input.table-filter-text
+ * Target table:      input.table-filter-text[data-table]
+ * Source text:       .table-filter-text-source
  */
 Drupal.behaviors.tableFilterByText = {
   attach: function (context, settings) {
     var $input = $('input.table-filter-text').once('table-filter-text');
-    var $table = $($input.attr('rel'));
+    var $table = $($input.attr('data-table'));
     var $rowsAndDetails, $labels, $details;
 
     function hidePackageDetails(index, element) {
@@ -106,7 +113,7 @@
       $labels = $table.find('.table-filter-text-source');
       $details = $table.find('details');
 
-      // @todo use autofocus attribute when browser support is good enough.
+      // @todo Use autofocus attribute when possible.
       $input.focus().on('keyup', filterModuleList);
     }
   }