diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/smart-search/smart-search.controller.js b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/smart-search/smart-search.controller.js
index d3b1d216f1..b7d3a45f6b 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/smart-search/smart-search.controller.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/smart-search/smart-search.controller.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export default ['$stateParams', '$scope', '$state', 'QuerySet', 'GetBasePath', '
 
         function setDefaults(term) {
             if ($scope.list.defaultSearchParams) {
-                return $scope.list.defaultSearchParams(term);
+                return $scope.list.defaultSearchParams(encodeURIComponent(term));
             } else {
                return {
                     search: encodeURIComponent(term)