diff --git a/demos/src/searchbar/pages/page-one/page-one.ts b/demos/src/searchbar/pages/page-one/page-one.ts
index b59d9042bb..be9d678779 100644
--- a/demos/src/searchbar/pages/page-one/page-one.ts
+++ b/demos/src/searchbar/pages/page-one/page-one.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export class PageOne {
 
   filterItems(ev: any) {
     this.setItems();
-    let val = ev.target.value;
+    let val = ev.value;
 
     if (val && val.trim() !== '') {
       this.items = this.items.filter(function(item) {
diff --git a/src/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts b/src/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts
index 04a7c4a13e..98c2935c54 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts
+++ b/src/components/searchbar/searchbar.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ import { Platform } from '../../platform/platform';
     '[class.searchbar-has-value]': '_value',
     '[class.searchbar-active]': '_isActive',
     '[class.searchbar-show-cancel]': '_showCancelButton',
-    '[class.searchbar-left-aligned]': '_shouldAlignLeft'
+    '[class.searchbar-left-aligned]': '_shouldAlignLeft',
+    '[class.searchbar-has-focus]': '_isFocus'
   },
   encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None
 })
@@ -150,10 +151,6 @@ export class Searchbar extends BaseInput<string> {
    */
   @Output() ionClear: EventEmitter<UIEvent> = new EventEmitter<UIEvent>();
 
-  /**
-   * @hidden
-   */
-  @HostBinding('class.searchbar-has-focus') _sbHasFocus: boolean;
 
   constructor(
     config: Config,
@@ -213,7 +210,7 @@ export class Searchbar extends BaseInput<string> {
   positionElements() {
     const isAnimated = this._animated;
     const prevAlignLeft = this._shouldAlignLeft;
-    const shouldAlignLeft = (!isAnimated || (this._value && this._value.toString().trim() !== '') || this._sbHasFocus === true);
+    const shouldAlignLeft = (!isAnimated || (this._value && this._value.toString().trim() !== '') || this._isFocus === true);
     this._shouldAlignLeft = shouldAlignLeft;
 
     if (this._mode !== 'ios') {
@@ -268,7 +265,7 @@ export class Searchbar extends BaseInput<string> {
     if (!this._cancelButton || !this._cancelButton.nativeElement) {
       return;
     }
-    const showShowCancel = this._sbHasFocus;
+    const showShowCancel = this._isFocus;
     if (showShowCancel !== this._isCancelVisible) {
       var cancelStyleEle = this._cancelButton.nativeElement;
       var cancelStyle = cancelStyleEle.style;
@@ -298,8 +295,9 @@ export class Searchbar extends BaseInput<string> {
    * Sets the Searchbar to focused and active on input focus.
    */
   inputFocused(ev: UIEvent) {
-    this._fireFocus();
     this._isActive = true;
+    this._fireFocus();
+    this.positionElements();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -316,6 +314,7 @@ export class Searchbar extends BaseInput<string> {
       return;
     }
     this._fireBlur();
+    this.positionElements();
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/components/searchbar/test/basic/pages/root-page/root-page.ts b/src/components/searchbar/test/basic/pages/root-page/root-page.ts
index 3027cf40e0..2e4dfa5f7d 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbar/test/basic/pages/root-page/root-page.ts
+++ b/src/components/searchbar/test/basic/pages/root-page/root-page.ts
@@ -19,23 +19,23 @@ export class RootPage {
   }
 
   onClearSearchbar(ev: any) {
-    console.log('ionClear', ev.target.value);
+    console.log('ionClear', ev.value);
   }
 
   onCancelSearchbar(ev: any) {
-    console.log('ionCancel', ev.target.value);
+    console.log('ionCancel', ev.value);
   }
 
   triggerInput(ev: any) {
-    console.log('ionInput', ev.target.value);
+    console.log('ionInput', ev.value);
   }
 
   inputBlurred(ev: any) {
-    console.log('ionBlur', ev.target.value);
+    console.log('ionBlur', ev.value);
   }
 
   inputFocused(ev: any) {
-    console.log('ionFocus', ev.target.value);
+    console.log('ionFocus', ev.value);
   }
 
   ngAfterViewInit() {
diff --git a/src/components/searchbar/test/nav/pages/search-page/search-page.ts b/src/components/searchbar/test/nav/pages/search-page/search-page.ts
index 316029c459..4724ece332 100644
--- a/src/components/searchbar/test/nav/pages/search-page/search-page.ts
+++ b/src/components/searchbar/test/nav/pages/search-page/search-page.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export class SearchPage {
     this.initializeItems();
 
     // set q to the value of the searchbar
-    var q = ev.target.value;
+    var q = ev.value;
 
     // if the value is an empty string don't filter the items
     if (!q || q.trim() === '') {