diff --git a/src/applications/maniphest/query/ManiphestTaskSearchEngine.php b/src/applications/maniphest/query/ManiphestTaskSearchEngine.php
--- a/src/applications/maniphest/query/ManiphestTaskSearchEngine.php
+++ b/src/applications/maniphest/query/ManiphestTaskSearchEngine.php
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@
         ->setDescription(pht('Search for tasks closed by certain users.')),
       id(new PhabricatorSearchTextField())
         ->setLabel(pht('Page Size'))
+        ->setDefaultValue('100') // default limit defined in parent class
         ->setKey('limit'),
     );
   }
diff --git a/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchField.php b/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchField.php
--- a/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchField.php
+++ b/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchField.php
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   private $conduitKey;
   private $viewer;
   private $value;
+  private $defaultValue;
   private $label;
   private $aliases = array();
   private $errors = array();
@@ -283,7 +284,21 @@
   }
 
   protected function getDefaultValue() {
-    return null;
+    return $this->defaultValue;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Set a default field value
+   *
+   * Set a default value for a search field.
+   * Overrides a potential field placeholder value.
+   *
+   * @param wild Default value to be displayed in the SearchEngine
+   * @return this
+   */
+  public function setDefaultValue($default_value) {
+    $this->defaultValue = $default_value;
+    return $this;
   }
 
   public function getValueForQuery($value) {
diff --git a/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchTextField.php b/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchTextField.php
--- a/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchTextField.php
+++ b/src/applications/search/field/PhabricatorSearchTextField.php
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 final class PhabricatorSearchTextField
   extends PhabricatorSearchField {
 
-  protected function getDefaultValue() {
-    return '';
-  }
-
   protected function getValueFromRequest(AphrontRequest $request, $key) {
     return $request->getStr($key);
   }