diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_search.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_search.py
index b2f3bbcc..a6d7c36e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_search.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class Views(TestCase):
         response = view(request)
 
         response.render()
-        self.assertEqual(response.context_data["results"].object_list.count(), 0)
+        self.assertFalse("results" in response.context_data)
 
     def test_search_lists(self):
         """searches remote connectors"""
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/search.py b/bookwyrm/views/search.py
index 4b9100fb..558c2039 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/search.py
@@ -56,10 +56,11 @@ class Search(View):
             results = endpoints[search_type](
                 query, request.user, min_confidence, search_remote
             )
-            paginated = Paginator(results, PAGE_LENGTH).get_page(
-                request.GET.get("page")
-            )
-            data["results"] = paginated
+            if results:
+                paginated = Paginator(results, PAGE_LENGTH).get_page(
+                    request.GET.get("page")
+                )
+                data["results"] = paginated
 
         return TemplateResponse(request, "search/{:s}.html".format(search_type), data)