diff --git a/src/vs/editor/contrib/find/browser/findWidget.ts b/src/vs/editor/contrib/find/browser/findWidget.ts
index 03e698c3e87777..75ee06d7abfbda 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/contrib/find/browser/findWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/contrib/find/browser/findWidget.ts
@@ -286,10 +286,12 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 		}
 
 		this._register(this._codeEditor.onDidChangeModel(() => {
-			if (!this._isVisible) {
+			// Model swaps destroy zones; clear the stale id and reattach while Find is open (#316054).
+			this._viewZoneId = undefined;
+			if (!this._isVisible || !this._codeEditor.hasModel()) {
 				return;
 			}
-			this._viewZoneId = undefined;
+			this._showViewZone(false);
 		}));
 
 
@@ -583,6 +585,7 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 				this._domNode.classList.add('visible');
 				this._domNode.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'false');
 				this._updateFindInputAriaLabel();
+				this._showViewZone(false); // refresh zone height after the widget is laid out (#316054)
 			}, 0));
 
 			// validate query again as it's being dismissed when we hide the find widget.
@@ -592,33 +595,8 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 
 			this._codeEditor.layoutOverlayWidget(this);
 
-			let adjustEditorScrollTop = true;
-			if (this._codeEditor.getOption(EditorOption.find).seedSearchStringFromSelection && selection) {
-				const domNode = this._codeEditor.getDomNode();
-				if (domNode) {
-					const editorCoords = dom.getDomNodePagePosition(domNode);
-					const startCoords = this._codeEditor.getScrolledVisiblePosition(selection.getStartPosition());
-					const startLeft = editorCoords.left + (startCoords ? startCoords.left : 0);
-					const startTop = startCoords ? startCoords.top : 0;
-
-					if (this._viewZone && startTop < this._viewZone.heightInPx) {
-						if (selection.endLineNumber > selection.startLineNumber) {
-							adjustEditorScrollTop = false;
-						}
-
-						const leftOfFindWidget = dom.getTopLeftOffset(this._domNode).left;
-						if (startLeft > leftOfFindWidget) {
-							adjustEditorScrollTop = false;
-						}
-						const endCoords = this._codeEditor.getScrolledVisiblePosition(selection.getEndPosition());
-						const endLeft = editorCoords.left + (endCoords ? endCoords.left : 0);
-						if (endLeft > leftOfFindWidget) {
-							adjustEditorScrollTop = false;
-						}
-					}
-				}
-			}
-			this._showViewZone(adjustEditorScrollTop);
+			// Keep the zone in-viewport so Find does not cover the first lines (#316054).
+			this._showViewZone(false);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -657,16 +635,27 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 		if (!this._isVisible) {
 			return;
 		}
+
+		if (!this._viewZone) {
+			this._viewZone = new FindWidgetViewZone(0);
+		}
+
 		const viewZone = this._viewZone;
-		if (this._viewZoneId !== undefined || !viewZone) {
+		if (this._viewZoneId !== undefined) {
+			// Zone already attached; still honor an explicit scroll restore from view-state.
+			if (typeof targetScrollTop === 'number') {
+				this._codeEditor.setScrollTop(targetScrollTop);
+			}
 			return;
 		}
 
 		this._codeEditor.changeViewZones((accessor) => {
-			viewZone.heightInPx = this._getHeight();
+			viewZone.heightInPx = this._getViewZoneHeight();
 			this._viewZoneId = accessor.addZone(viewZone);
-			// scroll top adjust to make sure the editor doesn't scroll when adding viewzone at the beginning.
-			this._codeEditor.setScrollTop(targetScrollTop || this._codeEditor.getScrollTop() + viewZone.heightInPx);
+			// Restore explicit scroll only; otherwise leave scroll so the zone stays visible (#316054).
+			if (typeof targetScrollTop === 'number') {
+				this._codeEditor.setScrollTop(targetScrollTop);
+			}
 		});
 	}
 
@@ -688,15 +677,15 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 		const viewZone = this._viewZone;
 
 		this._codeEditor.changeViewZones((accessor) => {
+			const measured = this._getViewZoneHeight();
 			if (this._viewZoneId !== undefined) {
 				// the view zone already exists, we need to update the height
-				const newHeight = this._getHeight();
-				if (newHeight === viewZone.heightInPx) {
+				if (measured === viewZone.heightInPx) {
 					return;
 				}
 
-				const scrollAdjustment = newHeight - viewZone.heightInPx;
-				viewZone.heightInPx = newHeight;
+				const scrollAdjustment = measured - viewZone.heightInPx;
+				viewZone.heightInPx = measured;
 				accessor.layoutZone(this._viewZoneId);
 
 				if (adjustScroll) {
@@ -705,7 +694,7 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 
 				return;
 			} else {
-				let scrollAdjustment = this._getHeight();
+				let scrollAdjustment = measured;
 
 				// if the editor has top padding, factor that into the zone height
 				scrollAdjustment -= this._codeEditor.getOption(EditorOption.padding).top;
@@ -723,6 +712,12 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 		});
 	}
 
+	private _getViewZoneHeight(): number {
+		// Use laid-out height with a minimum, plus margin-top, so the zone clears Find (#316054).
+		const marginTop = 4;
+		return Math.max(this._getHeight(), this._domNode.offsetHeight || 0, FIND_INPUT_AREA_HEIGHT) + marginTop;
+	}
+
 	private _removeViewZone() {
 		this._codeEditor.changeViewZones((accessor) => {
 			if (this._viewZoneId !== undefined) {
@@ -1379,7 +1374,7 @@ export class FindWidget extends Widget implements IOverlayWidget, IVerticalSashL
 		}
 
 		if (state.widgetViewZoneVisible) {
-			// we should add the view zone
+			this._showViewZone(false);
 			this._layoutViewZone(state.scrollTop);
 		}
 	}