diff --git a/app/components/AmountInput/AmountInput.js b/app/components/AmountInput/AmountInput.js
index c44c3571..ed9f91e0 100644
--- a/app/components/AmountInput/AmountInput.js
+++ b/app/components/AmountInput/AmountInput.js
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ class AmountInput extends React.Component {
     this.textInput.current.focus()
   }
 
+  clearTextInput() {
+    this.textInput.current.value = ''
+  }
+
   parseNumber(_value) {
     let value = _value || ''
     if (typeof _value === 'string') {
diff --git a/app/components/Contacts/AddChannel.js b/app/components/Contacts/AddChannel.js
index 351910f4..019e996c 100644
--- a/app/components/Contacts/AddChannel.js
+++ b/app/components/Contacts/AddChannel.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React from 'react'
+import React, { Component } from 'react'
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types'
 import Isvg from 'react-inlinesvg'
 
@@ -6,137 +6,150 @@ import x from 'icons/x.svg'
 
 import styles from './AddChannel.scss'
 
-const AddChannel = ({
-  contactsform,
-  closeContactsForm,
-  openSubmitChannelForm,
-  updateContactFormSearchQuery,
-  updateManualFormSearchQuery,
-  setNode,
-  activeChannelPubkeys,
-  nonActiveChannelPubkeys,
-  pendingOpenChannelPubkeys,
-  filteredNetworkNodes,
-  loadingChannelPubkeys,
-  showManualForm,
-  openManualForm
-}) => {
-  const renderRightSide = node => {
-    if (loadingChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
-      return (
-        <span className={styles.inactive}>
-          <div className={styles.loading}>
-            <div className={styles.spinner} />
-          </div>
-        </span>
-      )
-    }
+class AddChannel extends Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props)
+    this.searchInput = React.createRef()
+  }
 
-    if (activeChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
-      return (
-        <span className={`${styles.online} ${styles.inactive}`}>
-          <span>Online</span>
-        </span>
-      )
-    }
+  componentDidMount() {
+    // Focus the search input field.
+    this.searchInput.current.focus()
+  }
 
-    if (nonActiveChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
-      return (
-        <span className={`${styles.offline} ${styles.inactive}`}>
-          <span>Offline</span>
-        </span>
-      )
-    }
+  render() {
+    const {
+      contactsform,
+      closeContactsForm,
+      openSubmitChannelForm,
+      updateContactFormSearchQuery,
+      updateManualFormSearchQuery,
+      setNode,
+      activeChannelPubkeys,
+      nonActiveChannelPubkeys,
+      pendingOpenChannelPubkeys,
+      filteredNetworkNodes,
+      loadingChannelPubkeys,
+      showManualForm,
+      openManualForm
+    } = this.props
+    const renderRightSide = node => {
+      if (loadingChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
+        return (
+          <span className={styles.inactive}>
+            <div className={styles.loading}>
+              <div className={styles.spinner} />
+            </div>
+          </span>
+        )
+      }
+
+      if (activeChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
+        return (
+          <span className={`${styles.online} ${styles.inactive}`}>
+            <span>Online</span>
+          </span>
+        )
+      }
+
+      if (nonActiveChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
+        return (
+          <span className={`${styles.offline} ${styles.inactive}`}>
+            <span>Offline</span>
+          </span>
+        )
+      }
+
+      if (pendingOpenChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
+        return (
+          <span className={`${styles.pending} ${styles.inactive}`}>
+            <span>Pending</span>
+          </span>
+        )
+      }
+
+      if (!node.addresses.length) {
+        return <span className={`${styles.private} ${styles.inactive}`}>Private</span>
+      }
 
-    if (pendingOpenChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
       return (
-        <span className={`${styles.pending} ${styles.inactive}`}>
-          <span>Pending</span>
+        <span
+          className={styles.connect}
+          onClick={() => {
+            // set the node public key for the submit form
+            setNode(node)
+            // open the submit form
+            openSubmitChannelForm()
+          }}
+        >
+          Connect
         </span>
       )
     }
 
-    if (!node.addresses.length) {
-      return <span className={`${styles.private} ${styles.inactive}`}>Private</span>
+    const searchUpdated = search => {
+      updateContactFormSearchQuery(search)
+
+      if (search.includes('@') && search.split('@')[0].length === 66) {
+        updateManualFormSearchQuery(search)
+      }
     }
 
     return (
-      <span
-        className={styles.connect}
-        onClick={() => {
-          // set the node public key for the submit form
-          setNode(node)
-          // open the submit form
-          openSubmitChannelForm()
-        }}
-      >
-        Connect
-      </span>
-    )
-  }
+      <div className={styles.container}>
+        <header className={styles.header}>
+          <input
+            type="text"
+            placeholder="Search the network..."
+            className={styles.searchInput}
+            value={contactsform.searchQuery}
+            onChange={event => searchUpdated(event.target.value)}
+            ref={this.searchInput}
+          />
+          <span onClick={closeContactsForm} className={styles.closeIcon}>
+            <Isvg src={x} />
+          </span>
+        </header>
 
-  const searchUpdated = search => {
-    updateContactFormSearchQuery(search)
+        <section className={styles.nodes}>
+          <ul className={styles.networkResults}>
+            {filteredNetworkNodes.map(node => (
+              <li key={node.pub_key}>
+                <section>
+                  {node.alias.length > 0 ? (
+                    <h2>
+                      <span>{node.alias.trim()}</span>
+                      <span>
+                        ({node.pub_key.substr(0, 10)}
+                        ...
+                        {node.pub_key.substr(node.pub_key.length - 10)})
+                      </span>
+                    </h2>
+                  ) : (
+                    <h2>
+                      <span>{node.pub_key}</span>
+                    </h2>
+                  )}
+                </section>
+                <section>{renderRightSide(node)}</section>
+              </li>
+            ))}
+          </ul>
+        </section>
 
-    if (search.includes('@') && search.split('@')[0].length === 66) {
-      updateManualFormSearchQuery(search)
-    }
+        {showManualForm && (
+          <section className={styles.manualForm}>
+            <p>
+              Hm, looks like we can&apos;t see that node from here, wanna try to manually connect?
+            </p>
+            <div className={styles.manualConnectButton} onClick={openManualForm}>
+              Connect Manually
+            </div>
+          </section>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    )
   }
-
-  return (
-    <div className={styles.container}>
-      <header className={styles.header}>
-        <input
-          type="text"
-          placeholder="Search the network..."
-          className={styles.searchInput}
-          value={contactsform.searchQuery}
-          onChange={event => searchUpdated(event.target.value)}
-          // ref={input => input && input.focus()}
-        />
-        <span onClick={closeContactsForm} className={styles.closeIcon}>
-          <Isvg src={x} />
-        </span>
-      </header>
-
-      <section className={styles.nodes}>
-        <ul className={styles.networkResults}>
-          {filteredNetworkNodes.map(node => (
-            <li key={node.pub_key}>
-              <section>
-                {node.alias.length > 0 ? (
-                  <h2>
-                    <span>{node.alias.trim()}</span>
-                    <span>
-                      ({node.pub_key.substr(0, 10)}
-                      ...
-                      {node.pub_key.substr(node.pub_key.length - 10)})
-                    </span>
-                  </h2>
-                ) : (
-                  <h2>
-                    <span>{node.pub_key}</span>
-                  </h2>
-                )}
-              </section>
-              <section>{renderRightSide(node)}</section>
-            </li>
-          ))}
-        </ul>
-      </section>
-
-      {showManualForm && (
-        <section className={styles.manualForm}>
-          <p>
-            Hm, looks like we can&apos;t see that node from here, wanna try to manually connect?
-          </p>
-          <div className={styles.manualConnectButton} onClick={openManualForm}>
-            Connect Manually
-          </div>
-        </section>
-      )}
-    </div>
-  )
 }
 
 AddChannel.propTypes = {
diff --git a/app/components/Contacts/SubmitChannelForm.js b/app/components/Contacts/SubmitChannelForm.js
index 63095d63..a0140e0b 100644
--- a/app/components/Contacts/SubmitChannelForm.js
+++ b/app/components/Contacts/SubmitChannelForm.js
@@ -8,6 +8,17 @@ import AmountInput from 'components/AmountInput'
 import styles from './SubmitChannelForm.scss'
 
 class SubmitChannelForm extends React.Component {
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props)
+    this.amountInput = React.createRef()
+  }
+
+  componentDidMount() {
+    // Clear and Focus the amount input field.
+    this.amountInput.current.clearTextInput()
+    this.amountInput.current.focusTextInput()
+  }
+
   render() {
     const {
       closeChannelForm,
@@ -107,6 +118,7 @@ class SubmitChannelForm extends React.Component {
               amount={contactCapacity}
               currency={ticker.currency}
               onChangeEvent={updateContactCapacity}
+              ref={this.amountInput}
             />
             <div className={styles.currency}>
               <section