diff --git a/krunner/CMakeLists.txt b/krunner/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/krunner/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/krunner/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@
 configure_file(krunner.desktop.cmake ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/krunner.desktop @ONLY)
 install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/krunner.desktop DESTINATION ${DATA_INSTALL_DIR}/kglobalaccel)
 
+configure_file(krunner-daemon.desktop.cmake ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/krunner-daemon.desktop @ONLY)
+install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/krunner-daemon.desktop DESTINATION ${AUTOSTART_INSTALL_DIR})
+
 set(CMAKECONFIG_INSTALL_DIR "${KDE_INSTALL_CMAKEPACKAGEDIR}/KRunnerAppDBusInterface")
 configure_package_config_file(KRunnerAppDBusInterfaceConfig.cmake.in
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/KRunnerAppDBusInterfaceConfig.cmake"
diff --git a/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in b/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in
--- a/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in
+++ b/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 [D-BUS Service]
 Name=org.kde.krunner
-Exec=@KDE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/krunner
+Exec=@KDE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/krunner --daemon
diff --git a/krunner/krunner-daemon.desktop.cmake b/krunner/krunner-daemon.desktop.cmake
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/krunner/krunner-daemon.desktop.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+[Desktop Entry]
+Exec=@CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX@/bin/krunner --daemon
+Name=KRunner
+Name[ar]=مشغّل.ك
+Name[ast]=KRunner
+Name[bs]=KPokretač
+Name[ca]=KRunner
+Name[ca@valencia]=KRunner
+Name[cs]=KRunner
+Name[da]=KRunner
+Name[de]=KRunner
+Name[el]=KRunner
+Name[en_GB]=KRunner
+Name[es]=KRunner
+Name[et]=KRunner
+Name[eu]=KRunner
+Name[fi]=KRunner
+Name[fr]=KRunner
+Name[gl]=KRunner
+Name[hu]=KRunner
+Name[id]=KRunner
+Name[is]=KRunner
+Name[it]=KRunner
+Name[ja]=KRunner
+Name[ko]=KRunner
+Name[lt]=KRunner
+Name[nb]=KRunner
+Name[nds]=KRunner
+Name[nl]=KRunner
+Name[nn]=KRunner
+Name[pa]=ਕੇਰਨਰ
+Name[pl]=KRunner
+Name[pt]=KRunner
+Name[pt_BR]=KRunner
+Name[ru]=KRunner
+Name[sk]=KRunner
+Name[sl]=KRunner
+Name[sr]=К‑извођач
+Name[sr@ijekavian]=К‑извођач
+Name[sr@ijekavianlatin]=K‑izvođač
+Name[sr@latin]=K‑izvođač
+Name[sv]=Kör program
+Name[tr]=KRunner
+Name[uk]=KRunner
+Name[x-test]=xxKRunnerxx
+Name[zh_CN]=KRunner
+Name[zh_TW]=KRunner
+OnlyShowIn=KDE;
+Type=Application
+X-DBUS-StartupType=Unique
+X-DBUS-ServiceName=org.kde.krunner
+X-KDE-StartupNotify=false
+X-KDE-autostart-phase=2
+X-KDE-autostart-after=plasmashell
+X-KDE-autostart-condition=krunnerrc:General:AutoStart:true
diff --git a/shell/desktopview.h b/shell/desktopview.h
--- a/shell/desktopview.h
+++ b/shell/desktopview.h
@@ -101,12 +101,14 @@
     void coronaPackageChanged(const KPackage::Package &package);
     void ensureWindowType();
     void setupWaylandIntegration();
+    bool handleKRunnerTextInput(QKeyEvent *e);
 
     QPointer<PlasmaQuick::ConfigView> m_configView;
     QPointer<QScreen> m_oldScreen;
     QPointer<QScreen> m_screenToFollow;
     WindowType m_windowType;
     KWayland::Client::PlasmaShellSurface *m_shellSurface;
+    QString m_krunnerText;
 };
 
 #endif // DESKTOPVIEW_H
diff --git a/shell/desktopview.cpp b/shell/desktopview.cpp
--- a/shell/desktopview.cpp
+++ b/shell/desktopview.cpp
@@ -236,11 +236,41 @@
             m_shellSurface = nullptr;
             break;
         }
+    } else if (e->type() == QEvent::FocusOut) {
+        m_krunnerText.clear();
     }
 
     return PlasmaQuick::ContainmentView::event(e);
 }
 
+bool DesktopView::handleKRunnerTextInput(QKeyEvent *e) {
+    // allow only Shift and GroupSwitch modifiers
+    if (e->modifiers() & ~Qt::ShiftModifier & ~Qt::GroupSwitchModifier) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    bool krunnerTextChanged = false;
+    for (QChar ch : e->text()) {
+        if (!ch.isPrint()) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (ch.isSpace() && m_krunnerText.isEmpty()) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        m_krunnerText += ch;
+        krunnerTextChanged = true;
+    }
+    if (krunnerTextChanged) {
+        const QString interface(QStringLiteral("org.kde.krunner"));
+        if (!KAuthorized::authorize(QStringLiteral("run_command"))) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        org::kde::krunner::App krunner(interface, QStringLiteral("/App"), QDBusConnection::sessionBus());
+        krunner.query(m_krunnerText);
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 void DesktopView::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *e)
 {
     ContainmentView::keyPressEvent(e);
@@ -256,18 +286,9 @@
     }
 
     // When a key is pressed on desktop when nothing else is active forward the key to krunner
-    if (!e->modifiers() || e->modifiers() == Qt::ShiftModifier) {
-        const QString text = e->text().trimmed();
-        if (!text.isEmpty() && text[0].isPrint()) {
-            const QString interface(QStringLiteral("org.kde.krunner"));
-            if (!KAuthorized::authorize(QStringLiteral("run_command"))) {
-                return;
-            }
-            org::kde::krunner::App krunner(interface, QStringLiteral("/App"), QDBusConnection::sessionBus());
-            krunner.query(text);
-            e->accept();
-            return;
-        }
+    if (handleKRunnerTextInput(e)) {
+        e->accept();
+        return;
     }
 }