diff --git a/wp-includes/general-template.php b/wp-includes/general-template.php
index cb2e21ca41..999aa0f2aa 100644
--- a/wp-includes/general-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/general-template.php
@@ -154,17 +154,18 @@ function get_search_form($echo = true) {
 
 	$search_form_template = locate_template('searchform.php');
 	if ( '' != $search_form_template ) {
+		ob_start();
 		require($search_form_template);
-		return;
+		$form = ob_get_clean();
+	} else {
+		$form = '<form role="search" method="get" id="searchform" action="' . esc_url( home_url( '/' ) ) . '" >
+		<div><label class="screen-reader-text" for="s">' . __('Search for:') . '</label>
+		<input type="text" value="' . get_search_query() . '" name="s" id="s" />
+		<input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="'. esc_attr__('Search') .'" />
+		</div>
+		</form>';
 	}
 
-	$form = '<form role="search" method="get" id="searchform" action="' . esc_url( home_url( '/' ) ) . '" >
-	<div><label class="screen-reader-text" for="s">' . __('Search for:') . '</label>
-	<input type="text" value="' . get_search_query() . '" name="s" id="s" />
-	<input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="'. esc_attr__('Search') .'" />
-	</div>
-	</form>';
-
 	if ( $echo )
 		echo apply_filters('get_search_form', $form);
 	else