diff --git a/src/routes/app/add-ons/+page.svelte b/src/routes/app/add-ons/+page.svelte
index 82d97bd49..dd15175bf 100644
--- a/src/routes/app/add-ons/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/app/add-ons/+page.svelte
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
     const url = new URL($page.url); // make a copy
     const formData = new FormData(event.currentTarget as HTMLFormElement);
     const query = formData.get("query") ?? "";
-    if (!query) return;
     url.searchParams.set("query", query as string);
     goto(url);
   }
diff --git a/src/routes/app/projects/+page.svelte b/src/routes/app/projects/+page.svelte
index 53e2e94ed..0ee16daf3 100644
--- a/src/routes/app/projects/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/app/projects/+page.svelte
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
     const url = new URL($page.url); // make a copy
     const formData = new FormData(event.currentTarget as HTMLFormElement);
     const query = formData.get("query") ?? "";
-    if (!query) return;
     url.searchParams.set("query", query as string);
     goto(url);
   }
diff --git a/src/routes/app/projects/[id]-[slug]/+page.ts b/src/routes/app/projects/[id]-[slug]/+page.ts
index b8ba2b18a..9b07b3f91 100644
--- a/src/routes/app/projects/[id]-[slug]/+page.ts
+++ b/src/routes/app/projects/[id]-[slug]/+page.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ export async function load({ params, url, parent, fetch }) {
   const breadcrumbs = await breadcrumbTrail(parent, [
     { href: url.pathname, title: project.title },
   ]);
-  const query = url.searchParams.get("q");
-  const cursor = url.searchParams.get("cursor");
+  const query = url.searchParams.get("q") ?? "";
+  const cursor = url.searchParams.get("cursor") ?? "";
   const documents = search(query, { cursor, project: project.id });
   return {
     breadcrumbs,