diff --git a/assets/js/bibsearch.js b/assets/js/bibsearch.js
index 8bc50d835915..8f2f031cb620 100644
--- a/assets/js/bibsearch.js
+++ b/assets/js/bibsearch.js
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function () {
     // highlight-search-term
     if (CSS.highlights) {
       const nonMatchingElements = highlightSearchTerm({ search: searchTerm, selector: ".bibliography > li" });
+      if (nonMatchingElements == null) {
+        return;
+      }
       nonMatchingElements.forEach((element) => {
         element.classList.add("unloaded");
       });