diff --git a/CRM/Activity/BAO/Query.php b/CRM/Activity/BAO/Query.php
index 3f2758b83836..d9397a5cd9b6 100644
--- a/CRM/Activity/BAO/Query.php
+++ b/CRM/Activity/BAO/Query.php
@@ -457,6 +457,9 @@ public static function getSearchFieldMetadata() {
       'title' => ts('Activity Text'),
       'type' => CRM_Utils_Type::T_STRING,
       'is_pseudofield' => TRUE,
+      'html' => [
+        'type' => 'Text',
+      ],
     ];
     return $metadata;
   }
diff --git a/CRM/Activity/Form/Search.php b/CRM/Activity/Form/Search.php
index 5724ba411958..7239fca7fb64 100644
--- a/CRM/Activity/Form/Search.php
+++ b/CRM/Activity/Form/Search.php
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ class CRM_Activity_Form_Search extends CRM_Core_Form_Search {
    *
    * @var bool
    */
-  protected $_limit = NULL;
+  protected $_limit;
 
   /**
    * Prefix for the controller.
    * @var string
    */
-  protected $_prefix = "activity_";
+  protected $_prefix = 'activity_';
 
   /**
    * The saved search ID retrieved from the GET vars.
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ public function getDefaultEntity() {
 
   /**
    * Processing needed for buildForm and later.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
    */
   public function preProcess() {
     $this->set('searchFormName', 'Search');
@@ -73,25 +76,7 @@ public function preProcess() {
 
     $this->_done = FALSE;
 
-    $this->loadStandardSearchOptionsFromUrl();
-
-    // get user submitted values
-    // get it from controller only if form has been submitted, else preProcess has set this
-    if (!empty($_POST) && !$this->controller->isModal()) {
-      $this->_formValues = $this->controller->exportValues($this->_name);
-    }
-    else {
-      $this->_formValues = $this->get('formValues');
-
-      if ($this->_force) {
-        // If we force the search then merge form values with url values
-        // and set submit values to form values.
-        // @todo this is not good security practice. Instead define the fields in metadata & use
-        // getEntityDefaults.
-        $this->_formValues = array_merge((array) $this->_formValues, CRM_Utils_Request::exportValues());
-        $this->_submitValues = $this->_formValues;
-      }
-    }
+    parent::preProcess();
 
     if (empty($this->_formValues)) {
       if (isset($this->_ssID)) {
@@ -99,11 +84,6 @@ public function preProcess() {
       }
     }
 
-    if ($this->_force) {
-      $this->postProcess();
-      $this->set('force', 0);
-    }
-
     $sortID = NULL;
     if ($this->get(CRM_Utils_Sort::SORT_ID)) {
       $sortID = CRM_Utils_Sort::sortIDValue($this->get(CRM_Utils_Sort::SORT_ID),
@@ -143,6 +123,9 @@ public function preProcess() {
 
   /**
    * Build the form object.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
    */
   public function buildQuickForm() {
     parent::buildQuickForm();
@@ -210,7 +193,6 @@ public function postProcess() {
 
     $this->_queryParams = CRM_Contact_BAO_Query::convertFormValues($this->_formValues);
 
-    $this->set('formValues', $this->_formValues);
     $this->set('queryParams', $this->_queryParams);
 
     $buttonName = $this->controller->getButtonName();
@@ -242,7 +224,7 @@ public function postProcess() {
     $selector->setKey($this->controller->_key);
 
     $prefix = NULL;
-    if ($this->_context == 'basic' || $this->_context == 'user') {
+    if ($this->_context === 'basic' || $this->_context === 'user') {
       $prefix = $this->_prefix;
     }
 
@@ -257,12 +239,17 @@ public function postProcess() {
     $controller->setEmbedded(TRUE);
     $query = &$selector->getQuery();
 
-    if ($this->_context == 'user') {
+    if ($this->_context === 'user') {
       $query->setSkipPermission(TRUE);
     }
     $controller->run();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Probably more hackery than anything else.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   */
   public function fixFormValues() {
     if (!$this->_force) {
       return;
@@ -337,6 +324,13 @@ public function getTitle() {
     return ts('Find Activities');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Get metadata for the entity  fields.
+   *
+   * @return array
+   *
+   * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
+   */
   protected function getEntityMetadata() {
     return CRM_Activity_BAO_Query::getSearchFieldMetadata();
   }