diff --git a/web/components/contract-search.tsx b/web/components/contract-search.tsx
index 98debc9f..54b30f3f 100644
--- a/web/components/contract-search.tsx
+++ b/web/components/contract-search.tsx
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@ import { SearchOptions } from '@algolia/client-search'
 
 import { Contract } from 'common/contract'
 import { User } from 'common/user'
-import {
-  QuerySortOptions,
-  Sort,
-  useQueryAndSortParams,
-} from '../hooks/use-sort-and-query-params'
+import { Sort, useQuery, useSort } from '../hooks/use-sort-and-query-params'
 import {
   ContractHighlightOptions,
   ContractsGrid,
@@ -24,11 +20,25 @@ import ContractSearchFirestore from 'web/pages/contract-search-firestore'
 import { useMemberGroups } from 'web/hooks/use-group'
 import { NEW_USER_GROUP_SLUGS } from 'common/group'
 import { PillButton } from './buttons/pill-button'
-import { sortBy } from 'lodash'
+import { debounce, sortBy } from 'lodash'
 import { DEFAULT_CATEGORY_GROUPS } from 'common/categories'
 import { Col } from './layout/col'
+import { safeLocalStorage } from 'web/lib/util/local'
 import clsx from 'clsx'
 
+// TODO: this obviously doesn't work with SSR, common sense would suggest
+// that we should save things like this in cookies so the server has them
+
+const MARKETS_SORT = 'markets_sort'
+
+function setSavedSort(s: Sort) {
+  safeLocalStorage()?.setItem(MARKETS_SORT, s)
+}
+
+function getSavedSort() {
+  return safeLocalStorage()?.getItem(MARKETS_SORT) as Sort | null | undefined
+}
+
 const searchClient = algoliasearch(
   'GJQPAYENIF',
   '75c28fc084a80e1129d427d470cf41a3'
@@ -47,7 +57,6 @@ const sortOptions = [
   { label: 'Close date', value: 'close-date' },
   { label: 'Resolve date', value: 'resolve-date' },
 ]
-export const DEFAULT_SORT = 'score'
 
 type filter = 'personal' | 'open' | 'closed' | 'resolved' | 'all'
 
@@ -68,7 +77,8 @@ type AdditionalFilter = {
 
 export function ContractSearch(props: {
   user?: User | null
-  querySortOptions?: { defaultFilter?: filter } & QuerySortOptions
+  defaultSort?: Sort
+  defaultFilter?: filter
   additionalFilter?: AdditionalFilter
   highlightOptions?: ContractHighlightOptions
   onContractClick?: (contract: Contract) => void
@@ -79,10 +89,13 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
     hideQuickBet?: boolean
   }
   headerClassName?: string
+  useQuerySortLocalStorage?: boolean
+  useQuerySortUrlParams?: boolean
 }) {
   const {
     user,
-    querySortOptions,
+    defaultSort,
+    defaultFilter,
     additionalFilter,
     onContractClick,
     overrideGridClassName,
@@ -90,6 +103,8 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
     cardHideOptions,
     highlightOptions,
     headerClassName,
+    useQuerySortLocalStorage,
+    useQuerySortUrlParams,
   } = props
 
   const [numPages, setNumPages] = useState(1)
@@ -132,31 +147,33 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
     }
   }
 
+  const onSearchParametersChanged = useRef(
+    debounce((params) => {
+      searchParameters.current = params
+      performQuery(true)
+    }, 100)
+  ).current
+
   const contracts = pages
     .flat()
     .filter((c) => !additionalFilter?.excludeContractIds?.includes(c.id))
 
   if (IS_PRIVATE_MANIFOLD || process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_EMULATE) {
-    return (
-      <ContractSearchFirestore
-        querySortOptions={querySortOptions}
-        additionalFilter={additionalFilter}
-      />
-    )
+    return <ContractSearchFirestore additionalFilter={additionalFilter} />
   }
 
   return (
     <Col className="h-full">
       <ContractSearchControls
         className={headerClassName}
+        defaultSort={defaultSort}
+        defaultFilter={defaultFilter}
         additionalFilter={additionalFilter}
         hideOrderSelector={hideOrderSelector}
-        querySortOptions={querySortOptions}
+        useQuerySortLocalStorage={useQuerySortLocalStorage}
+        useQuerySortUrlParams={useQuerySortUrlParams}
         user={user}
-        onSearchParametersChanged={(params) => {
-          searchParameters.current = params
-          performQuery(true)
-        }}
+        onSearchParametersChanged={onSearchParametersChanged}
       />
       <ContractsGrid
         contracts={pages.length === 0 ? undefined : contracts}
@@ -173,23 +190,40 @@ export function ContractSearch(props: {
 
 function ContractSearchControls(props: {
   className?: string
+  defaultSort?: Sort
+  defaultFilter?: filter
   additionalFilter?: AdditionalFilter
   hideOrderSelector?: boolean
   onSearchParametersChanged: (params: SearchParameters) => void
-  querySortOptions?: { defaultFilter?: filter } & QuerySortOptions
+  useQuerySortLocalStorage?: boolean
+  useQuerySortUrlParams?: boolean
   user?: User | null
 }) {
   const {
     className,
+    defaultSort,
+    defaultFilter,
     additionalFilter,
     hideOrderSelector,
     onSearchParametersChanged,
-    querySortOptions,
+    useQuerySortLocalStorage,
+    useQuerySortUrlParams,
     user,
   } = props
 
-  const { query, setQuery, sort, setSort } =
-    useQueryAndSortParams(querySortOptions)
+  const savedSort = useQuerySortLocalStorage ? getSavedSort() : null
+  const initialSort = savedSort ?? defaultSort ?? 'score'
+  const querySortOpts = { useUrl: !!useQuerySortUrlParams }
+  const [sort, setSort] = useSort(initialSort, querySortOpts)
+  const [query, setQuery] = useQuery('', querySortOpts)
+  const [filter, setFilter] = useState<filter>(defaultFilter ?? 'open')
+  const [pillFilter, setPillFilter] = useState<string | undefined>(undefined)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (useQuerySortLocalStorage) {
+      setSavedSort(sort)
+    }
+  }, [sort])
 
   const follows = useFollows(user?.id)
   const memberGroups = (useMemberGroups(user?.id) ?? []).filter(
@@ -208,12 +242,6 @@ function ContractSearchControls(props: {
   const pillGroups: { name: string; slug: string }[] =
     memberPillGroups.length > 0 ? memberPillGroups : DEFAULT_CATEGORY_GROUPS
 
-  const [filter, setFilter] = useState<filter>(
-    querySortOptions?.defaultFilter ?? 'open'
-  )
-
-  const [pillFilter, setPillFilter] = useState<string | undefined>(undefined)
-
   const additionalFilters = [
     additionalFilter?.creatorId
       ? `creatorId:${additionalFilter.creatorId}`
diff --git a/web/components/contract/contracts-grid.tsx b/web/components/contract/contracts-grid.tsx
index f62c3c85..05c66d56 100644
--- a/web/components/contract/contracts-grid.tsx
+++ b/web/components/contract/contracts-grid.tsx
@@ -106,11 +106,8 @@ export function CreatorContractsList(props: {
   return (
     <ContractSearch
       user={user}
-      querySortOptions={{
-        defaultSort: 'newest',
-        defaultFilter: 'all',
-        shouldLoadFromStorage: false,
-      }}
+      defaultSort="newest"
+      defaultFilter="all"
       additionalFilter={{
         creatorId: creator.id,
       }}
diff --git a/web/components/editor/market-modal.tsx b/web/components/editor/market-modal.tsx
index 0486b9e9..85b7a978 100644
--- a/web/components/editor/market-modal.tsx
+++ b/web/components/editor/market-modal.tsx
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ export function MarketModal(props: {
               'flex grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 flex-col gap-3 p-1'
             }
             cardHideOptions={{ hideGroupLink: true, hideQuickBet: true }}
-            querySortOptions={{ disableQueryString: true }}
             highlightOptions={{
               contractIds: contracts.map((c) => c.id),
               highlightClassName:
diff --git a/web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params.tsx b/web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params.tsx
index e917e4af..0a2834d0 100644
--- a/web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params.tsx
+++ b/web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
-import { debounce } from 'lodash'
-import { useRouter } from 'next/router'
-import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
-import { DEFAULT_SORT } from 'web/components/contract-search'
-
-const MARKETS_SORT = 'markets_sort'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { NextRouter, useRouter } from 'next/router'
 
 export type Sort =
   | 'newest'
@@ -15,92 +11,55 @@ export type Sort =
   | 'last-updated'
   | 'score'
 
-export function getSavedSort() {
-  // TODO: this obviously doesn't work with SSR, common sense would suggest
-  // that we should save things like this in cookies so the server has them
-  if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
-    return localStorage.getItem(MARKETS_SORT) as Sort | null
-  } else {
-    return null
+type UpdatedQueryParams = { [k: string]: string }
+type QuerySortOpts = { useUrl: boolean }
+
+function withURLParams(location: Location, params: UpdatedQueryParams) {
+  const newParams = new URLSearchParams(location.search)
+  for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(params)) {
+    if (!v) {
+      newParams.delete(k)
+    } else {
+      newParams.set(k, v)
+    }
   }
+  const newUrl = new URL(location.href)
+  newUrl.search = newParams.toString()
+  return newUrl
 }
 
-export interface QuerySortOptions {
-  defaultSort?: Sort
-  shouldLoadFromStorage?: boolean
-  /** Use normal react state instead of url query string */
-  disableQueryString?: boolean
+function updateURL(params: UpdatedQueryParams) {
+  // see relevant discussion here https://github.com/vercel/next.js/discussions/18072
+  const url = withURLParams(window.location, params).toString()
+  const updatedState = { ...window.history.state, as: url, url }
+  window.history.replaceState(updatedState, '', url)
 }
 
-export function useQueryAndSortParams({
-  defaultSort = DEFAULT_SORT,
-  shouldLoadFromStorage = true,
-  disableQueryString,
-}: QuerySortOptions = {}) {
+function getStringURLParam(router: NextRouter, k: string) {
+  const v = router.query[k]
+  return typeof v === 'string' ? v : null
+}
+
+export function useQuery(defaultQuery: string, opts?: QuerySortOpts) {
+  const useUrl = opts?.useUrl ?? false
   const router = useRouter()
-
-  const { s: sort, q: query } = router.query as {
-    q?: string
-    s?: Sort
-  }
-
-  const setSort = (sort: Sort | undefined) => {
-    router.replace({ query: { ...router.query, s: sort } }, undefined, {
-      shallow: true,
-    })
-    if (shouldLoadFromStorage) {
-      localStorage.setItem(MARKETS_SORT, sort || '')
-    }
-  }
-
-  const [queryState, setQueryState] = useState(query)
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setQueryState(query)
-  }, [query])
-
-  // Debounce router query update.
-  const pushQuery = useMemo(
-    () =>
-      debounce((query: string | undefined) => {
-        const queryObj = { ...router.query, q: query }
-        if (!query) delete queryObj.q
-        router.replace({ query: queryObj }, undefined, {
-          shallow: true,
-        })
-      }, 100),
-    [router]
-  )
-
-  const setQuery = (query: string | undefined) => {
-    setQueryState(query)
-    if (!disableQueryString) {
-      pushQuery(query)
-    }
-  }
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // If there's no sort option, then set the one from localstorage
-    if (router.isReady && !sort && shouldLoadFromStorage) {
-      const localSort = localStorage.getItem(MARKETS_SORT) as Sort
-      if (localSort && localSort !== defaultSort) {
-        // Use replace to not break navigating back.
-        router.replace(
-          { query: { ...router.query, s: localSort } },
-          undefined,
-          { shallow: true }
-        )
-      }
-    }
-  })
-
-  // use normal state if querydisableQueryString
-  const [sortState, setSortState] = useState(defaultSort)
-
-  return {
-    sort: disableQueryString ? sortState : sort ?? defaultSort,
-    query: queryState ?? '',
-    setSort: disableQueryString ? setSortState : setSort,
-    setQuery,
+  const initialQuery = useUrl ? getStringURLParam(router, 'q') : null
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState(initialQuery ?? defaultQuery)
+  if (!useUrl) {
+    return [query, setQuery] as const
+  } else {
+    return [query, (q: string) => (setQuery(q), updateURL({ q }))] as const
+  }
+}
+
+export function useSort(defaultSort: Sort, opts?: QuerySortOpts) {
+  const useUrl = opts?.useUrl ?? false
+  const router = useRouter()
+  const initialSort = useUrl ? (getStringURLParam(router, 's') as Sort) : null
+  const [sort, setSort] = useState(initialSort ?? defaultSort)
+  if (!useUrl) {
+    return [sort, setSort] as const
+  } else {
+    return [sort, (s: Sort) => (setSort(s), updateURL({ s }))] as const
   }
 }
diff --git a/web/pages/contract-search-firestore.tsx b/web/pages/contract-search-firestore.tsx
index f56c82d1..ec480269 100644
--- a/web/pages/contract-search-firestore.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/contract-search-firestore.tsx
@@ -3,16 +3,11 @@ import { searchInAny } from 'common/util/parse'
 import { sortBy } from 'lodash'
 import { ContractsGrid } from 'web/components/contract/contracts-grid'
 import { useContracts } from 'web/hooks/use-contracts'
-import {
-  QuerySortOptions,
-  Sort,
-  useQueryAndSortParams,
-} from 'web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params'
+import { Sort, useQuery, useSort } from 'web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params'
 
 const MAX_CONTRACTS_RENDERED = 100
 
 export default function ContractSearchFirestore(props: {
-  querySortOptions?: QuerySortOptions
   additionalFilter?: {
     creatorId?: string
     tag?: string
@@ -21,10 +16,9 @@ export default function ContractSearchFirestore(props: {
   }
 }) {
   const contracts = useContracts()
-  const { querySortOptions, additionalFilter } = props
-
-  const { query, setQuery, sort, setSort } =
-    useQueryAndSortParams(querySortOptions)
+  const { additionalFilter } = props
+  const [query, setQuery] = useQuery('', { useUrl: true })
+  const [sort, setSort] = useSort('score', { useUrl: true })
 
   let matches = (contracts ?? []).filter((c) =>
     searchInAny(
diff --git a/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx b/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx
index cd4b7344..c5255974 100644
--- a/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/group/[...slugs]/index.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import { CreateQuestionButton } from 'web/components/create-question-button'
 import React, { useState } from 'react'
 import { LoadingIndicator } from 'web/components/loading-indicator'
 import { Modal } from 'web/components/layout/modal'
-import { getSavedSort } from 'web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params'
 import { ChoicesToggleGroup } from 'web/components/choices-toggle-group'
 import { toast } from 'react-hot-toast'
 import { useCommentsOnGroup } from 'web/hooks/use-comments'
@@ -196,11 +195,8 @@ export default function GroupPage(props: {
   const questionsTab = (
     <ContractSearch
       user={user}
-      querySortOptions={{
-        shouldLoadFromStorage: true,
-        defaultSort: getSavedSort() ?? 'newest',
-        defaultFilter: 'open',
-      }}
+      defaultSort={'newest'}
+      defaultFilter={'open'}
       additionalFilter={{ groupSlug: group.slug }}
     />
   )
diff --git a/web/pages/home.tsx b/web/pages/home.tsx
index 839a08f3..b11c0cf9 100644
--- a/web/pages/home.tsx
+++ b/web/pages/home.tsx
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ import { PlusSmIcon } from '@heroicons/react/solid'
 
 import { Page } from 'web/components/page'
 import { Col } from 'web/components/layout/col'
-import { getSavedSort } from 'web/hooks/use-sort-and-query-params'
-import { ContractSearch, DEFAULT_SORT } from 'web/components/contract-search'
+import { ContractSearch } from 'web/components/contract-search'
 import { Contract } from 'common/contract'
 import { User } from 'common/user'
 import { ContractPageContent } from './[username]/[contractSlug]'
@@ -35,10 +34,8 @@ const Home = (props: { auth: { user: User } }) => {
         <Col className="mx-auto w-full p-2">
           <ContractSearch
             user={user}
-            querySortOptions={{
-              shouldLoadFromStorage: true,
-              defaultSort: getSavedSort() ?? DEFAULT_SORT,
-            }}
+            useQuerySortLocalStorage={true}
+            useQuerySortUrlParams={true}
             onContractClick={(c) => {
               // Show contract without navigating to contract page.
               setContract(c)
diff --git a/web/pages/tag/[tag].tsx b/web/pages/tag/[tag].tsx
index c1dce29e..f2554f49 100644
--- a/web/pages/tag/[tag].tsx
+++ b/web/pages/tag/[tag].tsx
@@ -15,11 +15,8 @@ export default function TagPage() {
       <Title text={`#${tag}`} />
       <ContractSearch
         user={user}
-        querySortOptions={{
-          defaultSort: 'newest',
-          defaultFilter: 'all',
-          shouldLoadFromStorage: true,
-        }}
+        defaultSort="newest"
+        defaultFilter="all"
         additionalFilter={{ tag }}
       />
     </Page>