diff --git a/source/appModules/explorer.py b/source/appModules/explorer.py
index a279f167852..9ad19359852 100644
--- a/source/appModules/explorer.py
+++ b/source/appModules/explorer.py
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ def _get_container(self):
 			return super(MultitaskingViewFrameListItem, self).container
 
 
+class SearchBoxClient(IAccessible):
+	# #20021: File Explorer can fire a redundant MSAA focus event on the search band pane
+	# immediately after the UIA SearchEditBox gains focus.
+	shouldAllowIAccessibleFocusEvent = False
+
+
 # Class for menu items  for Windows Places and Frequently used Programs (in start menu)
 # Also used for desktop items
 class SysListView32EmittingDuplicateFocusEvents(IAccessible):
@@ -225,6 +231,14 @@ def chooseNVDAObjectOverlayClasses(self, obj, clsList):  # NOQA: C901
 		windowClass = obj.windowClassName
 		role = obj.role
 
+		if (
+			windowClass in ("Search Box", "UniversalSearchBand")
+			and role == controlTypes.Role.PANE
+			and isinstance(obj, IAccessible)
+		):
+			clsList.insert(0, SearchBoxClient)
+			return  # Optimization: return early to avoid comparing class names and roles that will never match.
+
 		if windowClass == "ToolbarWindow32":
 			if role != controlTypes.Role.POPUPMENU:
 				try:
diff --git a/user_docs/en/changes.md b/user_docs/en/changes.md
index b9b38b1655d..c696c828d4b 100644
--- a/user_docs/en/changes.md
+++ b/user_docs/en/changes.md
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ The setting is disabled by default. (#20013, @LeonarddeR)
 * Capital indicators are now correctly announced when selecting single characters. (#19505, @cary-rowen)
 * Configuration profile triggers now activate when the Add-on Store is open. (#19583, @bramd)
 * After cancelling an add-on download and reopening the Add-on Store, downloading another add-on no longer fails. (#20015, @Cary-rowen)
+* In File Explorer, pressing `ctrl+f` once again focuses the search box without subsequently reporting a pane. (#20021, @Cary-rowen)
 * MathML in Chromium is more reliably read after NVDA starts or restarts. (#19813, @RyanMcCleary)
 * Decorative Unicode letters such as negative squared, negative circled, and regional indicator symbol characters are now normalized to their base Latin letters when Unicode normalization is enabled. (#19608, @bramd)
 * NVDA no longer crashes when the Add-on Store download directory cannot be cleaned up due to file permission errors. (#19202, @christopherpross)