diff --git a/core/includes/form.inc b/core/includes/form.inc
index 49ace44..454b140 100644
--- a/core/includes/form.inc
+++ b/core/includes/form.inc
@@ -557,7 +557,6 @@ function form_state_keys_no_cache() {
     'must_validate',
     'rebuild',
     'rebuild_info',
-    'redirect',
     'no_redirect',
     'temporary',
     // Internal properties defined by form processing.
diff --git a/core/modules/search/search.module b/core/modules/search/search.module
index 315ae7a..a90012e 100644
--- a/core/modules/search/search.module
+++ b/core/modules/search/search.module
@@ -1020,10 +1020,24 @@ function search_form($form, &$form_state, $action = '', $keys = '', $module = NU
  * @see search_box_form_submit()
  */
 function search_box($form, &$form_state, $form_id) {
+  // #action cannot be used for the search block form, as it is not guaranteed
+  // that the search block is enabled on the target path. Therefore, we have to
+  // submit to the same page.
+  // @see http://drupal.org/node/292565
+  $info = search_get_default_module_info();
+  if ($info) {
+    $form_state['redirect'] = 'search/' . $info['path'];
+  }
+  // Do not output the form if there is no active search implementation.
+  else {
+    $form['#access'] = FALSE;
+  }
   $form[$form_id] = array(
     '#type' => 'search',
     '#title' => t('Search'),
     '#title_display' => 'invisible',
+    '#required' => TRUE,
+    '#required_error' => t('Please enter some keywords.'),
     '#size' => 15,
     '#default_value' => '',
     '#attributes' => array('title' => t('Enter the terms you wish to search for.')),
@@ -1039,31 +1053,16 @@ function search_box($form, &$form_state, $form_id) {
  * Process a block search form submission.
  */
 function search_box_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
-  // The search form relies on control of the redirect destination for its
-  // functionality, so we override any static destination set in the request.
-  // See http://drupal.org/node/292565.
+  // A destination query parameter on the current/originating path/page would
+  // cause drupal_redirect_form() to redirect to that destination path instead
+  // of the search page. Unset it to ensure we redirect to the search page.
+  // @see http://drupal.org/node/292565
   if (isset($_GET['destination'])) {
     unset($_GET['destination']);
   }
-
-  // Check to see if the form was submitted empty.
-  // If it is empty, display an error message.
-  // (This method is used instead of setting #required to TRUE for this field
-  // because that results in a confusing error message.  It would say a plain
-  // "field is required" because the search keywords field has no title.
-  // The error message would also complain about a missing #title field.)
-  if ($form_state['values']['search_block_form'] == '') {
-    form_set_error('keys', t('Please enter some keywords.'));
-  }
-
+  // Append the search keywords to the redirect path.
   $form_id = $form['form_id']['#value'];
-  $info = search_get_default_module_info();
-  if ($info) {
-    $form_state['redirect'] = 'search/' . $info['path'] . '/' . trim($form_state['values'][$form_id]);
-  }
-  else {
-    form_set_error(NULL, t('Search is currently disabled.'), 'error');
-  }
+  $form_state['redirect'] .= '/' . trim($form_state['values'][$form_id]);
 }
 
 /**