diff --git a/core/res/res/values/config.xml b/core/res/res/values/config.xml
index 209c785519470..bf253ab8993d5 100644
--- a/core/res/res/values/config.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/values/config.xml
@@ -1158,14 +1158,25 @@
     <integer name="config_triplePressOnStemPrimaryBehavior">0</integer>
 
     <!-- Control the behavior when the user short presses the stem primary button.
-        Stem primary button is only used on watch form factor. If a device is not
-        a watch, setting this config is no-op.
-           0 - Nothing
-           1 - Go to launch all apps
+         Stem primary button is only used on watch form factor. If a device is not
+         a watch, setting this config is no-op.
+            0 - Nothing
+            1 - Go to launch all apps
     -->
     <integer name="config_shortPressOnStemPrimaryBehavior">0</integer>
 
 
+    <!-- Control the behavior of the search key.
+            0 - Launch default search activity
+            1 - Launch target activity defined by config_searchKeyTargetActivity
+    -->
+    <integer name="config_searchKeyBehavior">0</integer>
+
+    <!-- Component name for the default target activity to be launched when user
+         presses the global search key. [DO NOT TRANSLATE]
+    -->
+    <string name="config_searchKeyTargetActivity" translatable="false"></string>
+
     <!-- Time to wait while a button is pressed before triggering a very long press. -->
     <integer name="config_veryLongPressTimeout">3500</integer>
 
diff --git a/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml b/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
index 8d56e7a163a7c..e2b46d0172885 100644
--- a/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
@@ -464,6 +464,8 @@
   <java-symbol type="integer" name="config_doublePressOnStemPrimaryBehavior" />
   <java-symbol type="integer" name="config_triplePressOnStemPrimaryBehavior" />
   <java-symbol type="string" name="config_doublePressOnPowerTargetActivity" />
+  <java-symbol type="integer" name="config_searchKeyBehavior" />
+  <java-symbol type="string" name="config_searchKeyTargetActivity" />
   <java-symbol type="integer" name="config_windowOutsetBottom" />
   <java-symbol type="integer" name="db_connection_pool_size" />
   <java-symbol type="integer" name="db_journal_size_limit" />
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java
index 37877cf8264e1..45dc49dba2ca4 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/policy/PhoneWindowManager.java
@@ -332,6 +332,10 @@ public class PhoneWindowManager implements WindowManagerPolicy {
     static final int TRIPLE_PRESS_PRIMARY_NOTHING = 0;
     static final int TRIPLE_PRESS_PRIMARY_TOGGLE_ACCESSIBILITY = 1;
 
+    // Must match: config_searchKeyBehavior in config.xml
+    static final int SEARCH_BEHAVIOR_DEFAULT_SEARCH = 0;
+    static final int SEARCH_BEHAVIOR_TARGET_ACTIVITY = 1;
+
     static public final String SYSTEM_DIALOG_REASON_KEY = "reason";
     static public final String SYSTEM_DIALOG_REASON_GLOBAL_ACTIONS = "globalactions";
     static public final String SYSTEM_DIALOG_REASON_RECENT_APPS = "recentapps";
@@ -540,6 +544,8 @@ public class PhoneWindowManager implements WindowManagerPolicy {
     boolean mWakeOnAssistKeyPress;
     boolean mWakeOnBackKeyPress;
     long mWakeUpToLastStateTimeout;
+    int mSearchKeyBehavior;
+    ComponentName mSearchKeyTargetActivity;
 
     private boolean mHandleVolumeKeysInWM;
 
@@ -2139,6 +2145,12 @@ public class PhoneWindowManager implements WindowManagerPolicy {
         mWakeUpToLastStateTimeout = mContext.getResources().getInteger(
                 com.android.internal.R.integer.config_wakeUpToLastStateTimeoutMillis);
 
+        mSearchKeyBehavior = mContext.getResources().getInteger(
+                com.android.internal.R.integer.config_searchKeyBehavior);
+
+        mSearchKeyTargetActivity = ComponentName.unflattenFromString(
+            mContext.getResources().getString(
+                com.android.internal.R.string.config_searchKeyTargetActivity));
         readConfigurationDependentBehaviors();
 
         mDisplayFoldController = DisplayFoldController.create(mContext, DEFAULT_DISPLAY);
@@ -3161,7 +3173,19 @@ public class PhoneWindowManager implements WindowManagerPolicy {
                     toggleNotificationPanel();
                 }
                 return key_consumed;
-
+            case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SEARCH:
+                if (down && repeatCount == 0 && !keyguardOn()) {
+                    switch(mSearchKeyBehavior) {
+                        case SEARCH_BEHAVIOR_TARGET_ACTIVITY: {
+                            launchTargetSearchActivity();
+                            return key_consumed;
+                        }
+                        case SEARCH_BEHAVIOR_DEFAULT_SEARCH:
+                        default:
+                            break;
+                    }
+                }
+                break;
             case KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SPACE:
                 // Handle keyboard layout switching. (META + SPACE)
                 if ((metaState & KeyEvent.META_META_MASK) == 0) {
@@ -6344,4 +6368,22 @@ public class PhoneWindowManager implements WindowManagerPolicy {
         }
     }
 
+    private void launchTargetSearchActivity() {
+        Intent intent;
+        if (mSearchKeyTargetActivity != null) {
+            intent = new Intent();
+            intent.setComponent(mSearchKeyTargetActivity);
+        } else {
+            intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_WEB_SEARCH);
+        }
+        intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK
+                | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_RESET_TASK_IF_NEEDED);
+        try {
+            startActivityAsUser(intent, UserHandle.CURRENT_OR_SELF);
+        } catch (ActivityNotFoundException ignore) {
+            Slog.e(TAG, "Could not resolve activity with : "
+                    + intent.getComponent().flattenToString()
+                    + " name.");
+        }
+    }
 }