diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/ml/public/application/util/url_state.test.ts b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/ml/public/application/util/url_state.test.ts
index b39ece61beeb1..91bbef2dba6c2 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/ml/public/application/util/url_state.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/ml/public/application/util/url_state.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,20 @@
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
 
-import { getUrlState } from './url_state';
+import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react-hooks';
+import { getUrlState, useUrlState } from './url_state';
+
+const mockHistoryPush = jest.fn();
+
+jest.mock('react-router-dom', () => ({
+  useHistory: () => ({
+    push: mockHistoryPush,
+  }),
+  useLocation: () => ({
+    search:
+      "?_a=(mlExplorerFilter:(),mlExplorerSwimlane:(viewByFieldName:action),query:(query_string:(analyze_wildcard:!t,query:'*')))&_g=(ml:(jobIds:!(dec-2)),refreshInterval:(display:Off,pause:!f,value:0),time:(from:'2019-01-01T00:03:40.000Z',mode:absolute,to:'2019-08-30T11:55:07.000Z'))&savedSearchId=571aaf70-4c88-11e8-b3d7-01146121b73d",
+  }),
+}));
 
 describe('getUrlState', () => {
   test('properly decode url with _g and _a', () => {
@@ -44,3 +57,25 @@ describe('getUrlState', () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+describe('useUrlState', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mockHistoryPush.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  test('pushes a properly encoded search string to history', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useUrlState('_a'));
+
+    act(() => {
+      const [, setUrlState] = result.current;
+      setUrlState({
+        query: {},
+      });
+    });
+
+    expect(mockHistoryPush).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      search:
+        '_a=%28mlExplorerFilter%3A%28%29%2CmlExplorerSwimlane%3A%28viewByFieldName%3Aaction%29%2Cquery%3A%28%29%29&_g=%28ml%3A%28jobIds%3A%21%28dec-2%29%29%2CrefreshInterval%3A%28display%3AOff%2Cpause%3A%21f%2Cvalue%3A0%29%2Ctime%3A%28from%3A%272019-01-01T00%3A03%3A40.000Z%27%2Cmode%3Aabsolute%2Cto%3A%272019-08-30T11%3A55%3A07.000Z%27%29%29&savedSearchId=%27571aaf70-4c88-11e8-b3d7-01146121b73d%27',
+    });
+  });
+});