diff --git a/administrator/components/com_associations/View/Associations/HtmlView.php b/administrator/components/com_associations/View/Associations/HtmlView.php
index a729e03d2bbe8..1f6c3851be5a6 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_associations/View/Associations/HtmlView.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_associations/View/Associations/HtmlView.php
@@ -124,11 +124,6 @@ public function display($tpl = null)
 					$this->typeFields = $fields;
 				}
 
-				// Dynamic filter form.
-				// This selectors doesn't have to activate the filter bar.
-				unset($this->activeFilters['itemtype']);
-				unset($this->activeFilters['language']);
-
 				// Remove filters options depending on selected type.
 				if (empty($support['state']))
 				{
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_associations/forms/filter_associations.xml b/administrator/components/com_associations/forms/filter_associations.xml
index e5f25f9ff1e52..15e2e34b28820 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_associations/forms/filter_associations.xml
+++ b/administrator/components/com_associations/forms/filter_associations.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 			name="search"
 			type="text"
 			label="COM_ASSOCIATIONS_FILTER_SEARCH_LABEL"
-			description="COM_ASSOCIATIONS_FILTER_SEARCH_DESC"
 			hint="JSEARCH_FILTER"
 		/>
 
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_associations/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php b/administrator/components/com_associations/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..66422f58ebb57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/administrator/components/com_associations/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * @package     Joomla.Administrator
+ * @subpackage  Layout
+ *
+ * @copyright   Copyright (C) 2005 - 2017 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * @license     GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
+ */
+
+defined('JPATH_BASE') or die;
+
+/** @var  array  $displayData */
+$data = $displayData;
+
+// Receive overridable options
+$data['options'] = !empty($data['options']) ? $data['options'] : array();
+$noResultsText   = '';
+$showSelector    = false;
+
+if ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Associations\Administrator\View\Associations\HtmlView)
+{
+	// Client selector doesn't have to activate the filter bar.
+	unset($data['view']->activeFilters['itemtype']);
+
+	// Menutype filter doesn't have to activate the filter bar
+	unset($data['view']->activeFilters['language']);
+}
+
+// Check if the no results message should appear.
+if (isset($data['view']->total) && (int) $data['view']->total === 0)
+{
+	$noResults = $data['view']->filterForm->getFieldAttribute('search', 'noresults', '', 'filter');
+
+	if (!empty($noResults))
+	{
+		$noResultsText = JText::_($noResults);
+	}
+}
+
+// Set some basic options
+$customOptions = array(
+	'filtersHidden'       => $data['options']['filtersHidden'] ?? empty($data['view']->activeFilters),
+	'defaultLimit'        => $data['options']['defaultLimit'] ?? JFactory::getApplication()->get('list_limit', 20),
+	'searchFieldSelector' => '#filter_search',
+	'orderFieldSelector'  => '#list_fullordering',
+	'showNoResults'       => !empty($noResultsText) ? true : false,
+	'noResultsText'       => !empty($noResultsText) ? $noResultsText : '',
+	'formSelector'        => !empty($data['options']['formSelector']) ? $data['options']['formSelector'] : '#adminForm',
+);
+
+$data['options'] = array_merge($customOptions, $data['options']);
+
+// Load search tools
+JHtml::_('searchtools.form', $data['options']['formSelector'], $data['options']);
+
+$filtersClass = isset($data['view']->activeFilters) && $data['view']->activeFilters ? ' js-stools-container-filters-visible' : '';
+?>
+<div class="js-stools clearfix">
+	<div class="clearfix">
+		<?php $itemTypeField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('itemtype'); ?>
+		<?php $languageField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('language'); ?>
+
+		<?php // Add the itemtype and language selectors before the form filters. ?>
+		<div class="js-stools-container-selector">
+			<div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-itemtype">
+				<?php echo $itemTypeField->input; ?>
+			</div>
+		</div>
+		<div class="js-stools-container-selector">
+			<div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-language">
+				<?php echo $languageField->input; ?>
+			</div>
+		</div>
+
+		<div class="js-stools-container-bar">
+			<?php echo $this->sublayout('bar', $data); ?>
+		</div>
+	</div>
+	<!-- Filters div -->
+	<div class="js-stools-container-filters clearfix<?php echo $filtersClass; ?>">
+		<?php echo $this->sublayout('list', $data); ?>
+		<?php echo $this->sublayout('filters', $data); ?>
+	</div>
+</div>
+<?php if ($data['options']['showNoResults']) : ?>
+	<?php echo $this->sublayout('noitems', $data); ?>
+<?php endif; ?>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_associations/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default/bar.php b/administrator/components/com_associations/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default/bar.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 7652b61458f46..0000000000000
--- a/administrator/components/com_associations/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default/bar.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-/**
- * @package     Joomla.Administrator
- * @subpackage  com_associations
- *
- * @copyright   Copyright (C) 2005 - 2017 Open Source Matters, Inc. All rights reserved.
- * @license     GNU General Public License version 2 or later; see LICENSE.txt
- */
-
-defined('JPATH_BASE') or die;
-
-$data = $displayData;
-
-?>
-<?php if ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Associations\Administrator\View\Associations\HtmlView) : ?>
-	<?php $app = JFactory::getApplication(); ?>
-	<?php // We will get the component item type and language filters & remove it from the form filters. ?>
-	<?php if ($app->input->get('forcedItemType', '', 'string') == '') : ?>
-		<?php $itemTypeField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('itemtype'); ?>
-		<div class="js-stools-field-filter js-stools-selector">
-			<?php echo $itemTypeField->input; ?>
-		</div>
-	<?php endif; ?>
-	<?php if ($app->input->get('forcedLanguage', '', 'cmd') == '') : ?>
-		<?php $languageField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('language'); ?>
-		<div class="js-stools-field-filter js-stools-selector">
-			<?php echo $languageField->input; ?>
-		</div>
-	<?php endif; ?>
-<?php endif; ?>
-<?php // Display the main joomla layout ?>
-<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default.bar', $data, null, array('component' => 'none')); ?>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_associations/tmpl/associations/default.php b/administrator/components/com_associations/tmpl/associations/default.php
index d7395b19760fa..99fe90e9d63b4 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_associations/tmpl/associations/default.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_associations/tmpl/associations/default.php
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 			<div id="j-main-container" class="j-main-container">
 				<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default', array('view' => $this)); ?>
 				<?php if (empty($this->items)) : ?>
-					<joomla-alert type="warning"><?php echo JText::_('JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS'); ?></joomla-alert>
+					<joomla-alert type="info"><?php echo JText::_('JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS'); ?></joomla-alert>
 				<?php else : ?>
 					<table class="table table-striped" id="associationsList">
 					<thead>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_categories/View/Categories/HtmlView.php b/administrator/components/com_categories/View/Categories/HtmlView.php
index 89ecd29c04316..891e6e8b793c5 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_categories/View/Categories/HtmlView.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_categories/View/Categories/HtmlView.php
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ public function display($tpl = null)
 		$this->pagination    = $this->get('Pagination');
 		$this->assoc         = $this->get('Assoc');
 		$this->filterForm    = $this->get('FilterForm');
+		$this->total         = $this->get('Total');
 		$this->activeFilters = $this->get('ActiveFilters');
 
 		// Check for errors.
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_categories/forms/filter_categories.xml b/administrator/components/com_categories/forms/filter_categories.xml
index 3ef280d3d3111..5905cb334fd79 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_categories/forms/filter_categories.xml
+++ b/administrator/components/com_categories/forms/filter_categories.xml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 			name="search"
 			type="text"
 			label="COM_CATEGORIES_FILTER_SEARCH_LABEL"
-			description="COM_CATEGORIES_FILTER_SEARCH_DESC"
 			hint="JSEARCH_FILTER"
+			noresults="JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS"
 		/>
 
 		<field
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_categories/tmpl/categories/default.php b/administrator/components/com_categories/tmpl/categories/default.php
index 570172b5a1ec3..643fe7eb48a9f 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_categories/tmpl/categories/default.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_categories/tmpl/categories/default.php
@@ -60,9 +60,7 @@
 				// Search tools bar
 				echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default', array('view' => $this));
 				?>
-				<?php if (empty($this->items)) : ?>
-					<joomla-alert type="warning"><?php echo JText::_('JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS'); ?></joomla-alert>
-				<?php else : ?>
+				<?php if (!empty($this->items)) : ?>
 					<table class="table table-striped" id="categoryList">
 						<thead>
 							<tr>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_content/View/Articles/HtmlView.php b/administrator/components/com_content/View/Articles/HtmlView.php
index e0a3052c3152c..b3223b18132fa 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_content/View/Articles/HtmlView.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_content/View/Articles/HtmlView.php
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ public function display($tpl = null)
 		$this->authors       = $this->get('Authors');
 		$this->filterForm    = $this->get('FilterForm');
 		$this->activeFilters = $this->get('ActiveFilters');
+		$this->total         = $this->get('Total');
 		$this->vote          = \JPluginHelper::isEnabled('content', 'vote');
 
 		// Check for errors.
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_articles.xml b/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_articles.xml
index 41043d08ad985..65de34b06c82a 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_articles.xml
+++ b/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_articles.xml
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 			name="search"
 			type="text"
 			label="COM_CONTENT_FILTER_SEARCH_LABEL"
-			description="COM_CONTENT_FILTER_SEARCH_DESC"
 			hint="JSEARCH_FILTER"
+			noresults="JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS"
 		/>
 
 		<field
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_featured.xml b/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_featured.xml
index 99b1b8fd7a61d..0c2cb49d3e438 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_featured.xml
+++ b/administrator/components/com_content/forms/filter_featured.xml
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 			name="search"
 			type="text"
 			label="COM_CONTENT_FILTER_SEARCH_LABEL"
-			description="COM_CONTENT_FILTER_SEARCH_DESC"
 			hint="JSEARCH_FILTER"
+			noresults="JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS"
 		/>
 
 		<field
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/articles/default.php b/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/articles/default.php
index 72eaef5f2b445..95cbb4c559f7b 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/articles/default.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/articles/default.php
@@ -75,9 +75,7 @@
 				// Search tools bar
 				echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default', array('view' => $this));
 				?>
-				<?php if (empty($this->items)) : ?>
-					<joomla-alert type="warning"><?php echo JText::_('JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS'); ?></joomla-alert>
-				<?php else : ?>
+				<?php if (!empty($this->items)) : ?>
 					<table class="table table-striped" id="articleList">
 						<thead>
 							<tr>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/featured/default.php b/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/featured/default.php
index 42db746086992..cf34bfd9fb2c6 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/featured/default.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_content/tmpl/featured/default.php
@@ -57,9 +57,7 @@
 				// Search tools bar
 				echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default', array('view' => $this));
 				?>
-				<?php if (empty($this->items)) : ?>
-					<joomla-alert type="warning"><?php echo JText::_('JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS'); ?></joomla-alert>
-				<?php else : ?>
+				<?php if (!empty($this->items)) : ?>
 					<table class="table table-striped" id="articleList">
 						<thead>
 							<tr>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_menus/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php b/administrator/components/com_menus/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php
index e00793e8af7dd..22e4aaf0ca2aa 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_menus/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_menus/layouts/joomla/searchtools/default.php
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 // Receive overridable options
 $data['options'] = !empty($data['options']) ? $data['options'] : array();
+$noResultsText   = '';
+$showSelector    = false;
 
 if ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Menus\Administrator\View\Items\HtmlView
 	|| $data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Menus\Administrator\View\Menus\HtmlView)
@@ -25,73 +27,71 @@
 	unset($data['view']->activeFilters['menutype']);
 }
 
+// Check if the no results message should appear.
+if (isset($data['view']->total) && !$data['view']->total)
+{
+	$noResults = $data['view']->filterForm->getFieldAttribute('search', 'noresults', '', 'filter');
+
+	if (!empty($noResults))
+	{
+		$noResultsText = JText::_($noResults);
+	}
+}
+
 // Set some basic options
 $customOptions = array(
 	'filtersHidden'       => $data['options']['filtersHidden'] ?? empty($data['view']->activeFilters),
 	'defaultLimit'        => $data['options']['defaultLimit'] ?? JFactory::getApplication()->get('list_limit', 20),
 	'searchFieldSelector' => '#filter_search',
 	'orderFieldSelector'  => '#list_fullordering',
-	'totalResults'        => $data['options']['totalResults'] ?? -1,
-	'noResultsText'       => $data['options']['noResultsText'] ?? JText::_('JGLOBAL_NO_MATCHING_RESULTS'),
+	'showNoResults'       => !empty($noResultsText) ? true : false,
+	'noResultsText'       => !empty($noResultsText) ? $noResultsText : '',
+	'formSelector'        => !empty($data['options']['formSelector']) ? $data['options']['formSelector'] : '#adminForm',
 );
 
 $data['options'] = array_merge($customOptions, $data['options']);
 
-$formSelector = !empty($data['options']['formSelector']) ? $data['options']['formSelector'] : '#adminForm';
-
 // Load search tools
-JHtml::_('searchtools.form', $formSelector, $data['options']);
+JHtml::_('searchtools.form', $data['options']['formSelector'], $data['options']);
 
 $filtersClass = isset($data['view']->activeFilters) && $data['view']->activeFilters ? ' js-stools-container-filters-visible' : '';
 ?>
 <div class="js-stools clearfix">
 	<div class="clearfix">
-        <?php
-        if ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Menus\Administrator\View\Items\HtmlView)
-        {
-	        // We will get the menutype filter & remove it from the form filters
-	        $menuTypeField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('menutype');
+		<?php $menuTypeField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('menutype'); ?>
+		<?php $clientIdField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('client_id'); ?>
 
-	        // Add the client selector before the form filters.
-	        $clientIdField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('client_id');
+		<?php if ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Menus\Administrator\View\Items\HtmlView) : ?>
+			<?php // Add the client and menutype selectors before the form filters ?>
+			<div class="js-stools-container-selector">
+				<div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-client_id">
+					<?php echo $clientIdField->input; ?>
+				</div>
+			</div>
+			<div class="js-stools-container-selector">
+				<div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-menutype">
+					<?php echo $menuTypeField->input; ?>
+				</div>
+			</div>
+		<?php elseif ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Menus\Administrator\View\Menus\HtmlView) : ?>
+			<?php // Add the client selector before the form filters. ?>
+			<div class="js-stools-container-selector">
+				<div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-client_id">
+					<?php echo $clientIdField->input; ?>
+				</div>
+			</div>
+		<?php endif; ?>
 
-	        if ($clientIdField): ?>
-                <div class="js-stools-container-selector">
-                    <div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-client_id">
-				        <?php echo $clientIdField->input; ?>
-                    </div>
-                </div>
-	        <?php endif; ?>
-            <div class="js-stools-container-selector">
-                <div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-menutype">
-			        <?php echo $menuTypeField->input; ?>
-                </div>
-            </div>
-	        <?php
-        }
-        elseif ($data['view'] instanceof \Joomla\Component\Menus\Administrator\View\Menus\HtmlView)
-        {
-	        // Add the client selector before the form filters.
-	        $clientIdField = $data['view']->filterForm->getField('client_id');
-	        ?>
-            <div class="js-stools-container-selector">
-                <div class="js-stools-field-selector js-stools-client_id">
-			        <?php echo $clientIdField->input; ?>
-                </div>
-            </div>
-	        <?php
-        }
-        ?>
 		<div class="js-stools-container-bar">
-			<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default.bar', $data); ?>
+			<?php echo $this->sublayout('bar', $data); ?>
 		</div>
 	</div>
 	<!-- Filters div -->
 	<div class="js-stools-container-filters clearfix<?php echo $filtersClass; ?>">
-		<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default.list', $data); ?>
-		<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default.filters', $data); ?>
+		<?php echo $this->sublayout('list', $data); ?>
+		<?php echo $this->sublayout('filters', $data); ?>
 	</div>
 </div>
-<?php if ($data['options']['totalResults'] === 0) : ?>
-	<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default.noitems', $data); ?>
+<?php if ($data['options']['showNoResults']) : ?>
+	<?php echo $this->sublayout('noitems', $data); ?>
 <?php endif; ?>
diff --git a/administrator/components/com_menus/tmpl/items/default.php b/administrator/components/com_menus/tmpl/items/default.php
index edecbbeb5693f..0b579e9eeab31 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_menus/tmpl/items/default.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_menus/tmpl/items/default.php
@@ -46,10 +46,8 @@
 		</div>
 		<div class="col-md-10">
 			<div id="j-main-container" class="j-main-container">
-				<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default', array('view' => $this, 'options' => array('selectorFieldName' => 'menutype'))); ?>
-				<?php if (empty($this->items)) : ?>
-					<joomla-alert type="warning"><?php echo JText::_('COM_LANGUAGES_MULTILANGSTATUS_NONE'); ?></joomla-alert>
-				<?php else : ?>
+				<?php echo JLayoutHelper::render('joomla.searchtools.default', array('view' => $this)); ?>
+				<?php if (!empty($this->items)) : ?>
 					<table class="table table-striped" id="itemList">
 						<thead>
 						<tr>