diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c463d6725f9..3e3f7647849 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 - Added `iconProps` prop to `EuiCollapsibleNavGroup` to extend the props passed to the rendered `EuiIcon` ([#3365](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3365))
 - Added `closeButtonProps` to `EuiCollapsibleNav` ([#3398](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3398))
 - Added `buffer` prop to `EuiPopover` for altering minimum distance to container edges ([#3398](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3398))
+- Allowed `search` prop changes to update `EuiInMemoryTable` internal query state ([#3371](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/3371))
 
 **Bug Fixes**
 
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.js
index 7c351793c80..0df220ad5eb 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.js
@@ -85,25 +85,6 @@ export const Table = () => {
         return <EuiHealth color={color}>{label}</EuiHealth>;
       },
     },
-    {
-      field: 'nationality',
-      name: 'Nationality',
-      render: countryCode => {
-        const country = store.getCountry(countryCode);
-        return `${country.flag} ${country.name}`;
-      },
-    },
-    {
-      field: 'online',
-      name: 'Online',
-      dataType: 'boolean',
-      render: online => {
-        const color = online ? 'success' : 'danger';
-        const label = online ? 'Online' : 'Offline';
-        return <EuiHealth color={color}>{label}</EuiHealth>;
-      },
-      sortable: true,
-    },
   ];
 
   const search = {
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search_external.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search_external.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3cee956bc59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search_external.js
@@ -0,0 +1,276 @@
+import React, { Fragment, useState } from 'react';
+import { formatDate } from '../../../../../src/services/format';
+import { createDataStore } from '../data_store';
+import {
+  EuiInMemoryTable,
+  EuiLink,
+  EuiHealth,
+  EuiFlexGroup,
+  EuiFlexItem,
+  EuiSpacer,
+  EuiCheckableCard,
+} from '../../../../../src/components';
+
+/*
+Example user object:
+
+{
+  id: '1',
+  firstName: 'john',
+  lastName: 'doe',
+  github: 'johndoe',
+  dateOfBirth: Date.now(),
+  nationality: 'NL',
+  online: true
+}
+
+Example country object:
+
+{
+  code: 'NL',
+  name: 'Netherlands',
+  flag: '🇳🇱'
+}
+*/
+
+const initialState = {
+  eu: false,
+  na: false,
+  oc: false,
+  as: false,
+  af: false,
+  sa: false,
+};
+
+const store = createDataStore();
+
+export const Table = () => {
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
+  const [state, setState] = useState(initialState);
+
+  const columns = [
+    {
+      field: 'firstName',
+      name: 'First Name',
+      sortable: true,
+      truncateText: true,
+    },
+    {
+      field: 'lastName',
+      name: 'Last Name',
+      truncateText: true,
+    },
+    {
+      field: 'github',
+      name: 'Github',
+      render: username => (
+        <EuiLink href={`https://github.com/${username}`} target="_blank">
+          {username}
+        </EuiLink>
+      ),
+    },
+    {
+      field: 'dateOfBirth',
+      name: 'Date of Birth',
+      dataType: 'date',
+      render: date => formatDate(date, 'dobLong'),
+      sortable: true,
+    },
+    {
+      field: 'nationality',
+      name: 'Nationality',
+      render: countryCode => {
+        const country = store.getCountry(countryCode);
+        return `${country.flag} ${country.name}`;
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      field: 'online',
+      name: 'Online',
+      dataType: 'boolean',
+      render: online => {
+        const color = online ? 'success' : 'danger';
+        const label = online ? 'Online' : 'Offline';
+        return <EuiHealth color={color}>{label}</EuiHealth>;
+      },
+    },
+  ];
+
+  const handleOnChange = search => {
+    setState(initialState);
+    setQuery(search.queryText);
+    return true;
+  };
+
+  const handleCheckbox = e => {
+    switch (e.target.id) {
+      case 'eu': {
+        const isChecked = !state.eu;
+        setQuery(
+          isChecked ? 'nationality:(NL or CZ or NO or IT or GB or GR)' : ''
+        );
+        setState({
+          ...initialState,
+          eu: isChecked,
+        });
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'na': {
+        const isChecked = !state.na;
+        setQuery(isChecked ? 'nationality:(US or CA or MX or HT)' : '');
+        setState({
+          ...initialState,
+          na: isChecked,
+        });
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'oc': {
+        const isChecked = !state.oc;
+        setQuery(isChecked ? 'nationality:(AU or FJ)' : '');
+        setState({
+          ...initialState,
+          oc: isChecked,
+        });
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'as': {
+        const isChecked = !state.as;
+        setQuery(isChecked ? 'nationality:(IL or LB)' : '');
+        setState({
+          ...initialState,
+          as: isChecked,
+        });
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'af': {
+        const isChecked = !state.af;
+        setQuery(isChecked ? 'nationality:(ZA or CG)' : '');
+        setState({
+          ...initialState,
+          af: isChecked,
+        });
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'sa': {
+        const isChecked = !state.sa;
+        setQuery(isChecked ? 'nationality:(CL)' : '');
+        setState({
+          ...initialState,
+          sa: isChecked,
+        });
+        break;
+      }
+      default:
+    }
+  };
+
+  const search = {
+    query,
+    onChange: handleOnChange,
+    box: {
+      schema: true,
+    },
+    filters: [
+      {
+        type: 'is',
+        field: 'online',
+        name: 'Online',
+        negatedName: 'Offline',
+      },
+      {
+        type: 'field_value_selection',
+        field: 'nationality',
+        name: 'Nationality',
+        multiSelect: 'or',
+        options: store.countries.map(country => ({
+          value: country.code,
+          name: country.name,
+          view: `${country.flag} ${country.name}`,
+        })),
+      },
+    ],
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <Fragment>
+      <EuiFlexGroup>
+        <EuiFlexItem grow={1}>
+          <div>
+            <EuiCheckableCard
+              id="af"
+              label="Africa"
+              checkableType="radio"
+              value="Africa"
+              checked={state.af}
+              onChange={handleCheckbox}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <EuiSpacer size="s" />
+          <div>
+            <EuiCheckableCard
+              id="as"
+              label="Asia"
+              checkableType="radio"
+              value="Asia"
+              checked={state.as}
+              onChange={handleCheckbox}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <EuiSpacer size="s" />
+          <div>
+            <EuiCheckableCard
+              id="eu"
+              label="Europe"
+              checkableType="radio"
+              value="Europe"
+              checked={state.eu}
+              onChange={handleCheckbox}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <EuiSpacer size="s" />
+          <div>
+            <EuiCheckableCard
+              id="na"
+              label="North America"
+              checkableType="radio"
+              value="North America"
+              checked={state.na}
+              onChange={handleCheckbox}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <EuiSpacer size="s" />
+          <div>
+            <EuiCheckableCard
+              id="oc"
+              label="Oceania"
+              checkableType="radio"
+              value="Oceania"
+              checked={state.oc}
+              onChange={handleCheckbox}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <EuiSpacer size="s" />
+          <div>
+            <EuiCheckableCard
+              id="sa"
+              label="South America"
+              checkableType="radio"
+              value="South America"
+              checked={state.sa}
+              onChange={handleCheckbox}
+            />
+          </div>
+        </EuiFlexItem>
+        <EuiFlexItem grow={2}>
+          <EuiInMemoryTable
+            items={store.users}
+            columns={columns}
+            search={search}
+            pagination={true}
+            sorting={true}
+          />
+        </EuiFlexItem>
+      </EuiFlexGroup>
+    </Fragment>
+  );
+};
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search_external_section.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search_external_section.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1ab71f5477f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search_external_section.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { GuideSectionTypes } from '../../../components';
+import { renderToHtml } from '../../../services';
+
+import { Table } from './in_memory_search_external';
+import { propsInfo } from './props_info';
+
+const source = require('!!raw-loader!./in_memory_search_external');
+const html = renderToHtml(Table);
+
+export const searchExternalSection = {
+  title: 'In-memory table with search and external state',
+  source: [
+    {
+      type: GuideSectionTypes.JS,
+      code: source,
+    },
+    {
+      type: GuideSectionTypes.HTML,
+      code: html,
+    },
+  ],
+  text: (
+    <div>
+      <p>
+        The example shows how to configure <strong>EuiInMemoryTable</strong>{' '}
+        when both external and internal search/filter states are in use.
+      </p>
+    </div>
+  ),
+  props: propsInfo,
+  demo: <Table />,
+};
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/index.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/index.js
index 6783e9f408a..f7b303a0e9b 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/index.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 export { section } from './in_memory_section';
 export { selectionSection } from './in_memory_selection_section';
 export { searchSection } from './in_memory_search_section';
+export { searchExternalSection } from './in_memory_search_external_section';
 export { searchCallbackSection } from './in_memory_search_callback_section';
 export { customSortingSection } from './in_memory_custom_sorting_section';
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/tables_in_memory_example.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/tables_in_memory_example.js
index d21ebc745c8..204dfd4663e 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/tables_in_memory_example.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/tables_in_memory_example.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {
   section as inMemorySection,
   selectionSection as inMemorySelectionSection,
   searchSection as inMemorySearchSection,
+  searchExternalSection as inMemorySearchExternalSection,
   searchCallbackSection as inMemorySearchCallbackSection,
   customSortingSection as inMemoryCustomSortingSection,
 } from './in_memory';
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ export const TableInMemoryExample = {
     inMemorySelectionSection,
     inMemorySearchSection,
     inMemorySearchCallbackSection,
+    inMemorySearchExternalSection,
     inMemoryCustomSortingSection,
   ],
 };
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx
index 3708112caad..08a9daa8bc2 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx
@@ -108,7 +108,9 @@ interface State<T> {
     items: T[];
     sortName: ReactNode;
     sortDirection?: Direction;
+    search?: Search;
   };
+  search?: Search;
   query: Query | null;
   pageIndex: number;
   pageSize?: number;
@@ -119,12 +121,20 @@ interface State<T> {
   hidePerPageOptions: boolean | undefined;
 }
 
-const getInitialQuery = (search: Search | undefined) => {
+const getQueryFromSearch = (
+  search: Search | undefined,
+  defaultQuery: boolean
+) => {
   let query: Query | string;
   if (!search) {
     query = '';
   } else {
-    query = (search as EuiSearchBarProps).defaultQuery || '';
+    query =
+      (defaultQuery
+        ? (search as EuiSearchBarProps).defaultQuery ||
+          (search as EuiSearchBarProps).query ||
+          ''
+        : (search as EuiSearchBarProps).query) || '';
   }
 
   return isString(query) ? EuiSearchBar.Query.parse(query) : query;
@@ -258,6 +268,19 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
         sortDirection,
       };
     }
+
+    if (
+      (nextProps.search as EuiSearchBarProps) !==
+      (prevState.prevProps.search as EuiSearchBarProps)
+    ) {
+      return {
+        prevProps: {
+          ...prevState.prevProps,
+          search: nextProps.search,
+        },
+        query: getQueryFromSearch(nextProps.search, false),
+      };
+    }
     return null;
   }
 
@@ -278,8 +301,10 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
         items: props.items,
         sortName,
         sortDirection,
+        search,
       },
-      query: getInitialQuery(search),
+      search: search,
+      query: getQueryFromSearch(search, true),
       pageIndex: pageIndex || 0,
       pageSize,
       pageSizeOptions,
@@ -369,10 +394,14 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
     }
 
     // Reset pagination state.
-    this.setState({
+    this.setState(state => ({
+      prevProps: {
+        ...state.prevProps,
+        search,
+      },
       query,
       pageIndex: 0,
-    });
+    }));
   };
 
   renderSearchBar() {
diff --git a/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx b/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx
index fbaa4d369a7..2e3de4d787d 100644
--- a/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ export class EuiSearchBar extends Component<EuiSearchBarProps, State> {
     prevState: State
   ): State | null {
     if (
-      nextProps.query &&
+      (nextProps.query || nextProps.query === '') &&
       (!prevState.query ||
         (typeof nextProps.query !== 'string' &&
           nextProps.query.text !== prevState.query.text) ||