diff --git a/src/components/widgets/search/search.jsx b/src/components/widgets/search/search.jsx
index 486b89ccf..c41e299ca 100644
--- a/src/components/widgets/search/search.jsx
+++ b/src/components/widgets/search/search.jsx
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ export default function Search({ options }) {
   }, [selectedProvider, options, query, searchSuggestions]);
 
   function doSearch(value) {
+    if (!value) return;
+
     const q = encodeURIComponent(value);
     const { url } = selectedProvider;
     if (url) {
diff --git a/src/components/widgets/search/search.test.jsx b/src/components/widgets/search/search.test.jsx
index 6c0fb0328..dee084dce 100644
--- a/src/components/widgets/search/search.test.jsx
+++ b/src/components/widgets/search/search.test.jsx
@@ -24,7 +24,19 @@ vi.mock("@headlessui/react", async () => {
         <div>{children}</div>
       </ComboboxContext.Provider>
     ),
-    ComboboxInput: (props) => <input {...props} />,
+    ComboboxInput: (props) => {
+      const ctx = useContext(ComboboxContext);
+      // real headlessui fires onChange(null) when the input is cleared
+      return (
+        <input
+          {...props}
+          onChange={(event) => {
+            props.onChange?.(event);
+            if (event.target.value === "") ctx?.onChange?.(null);
+          }}
+        />
+      );
+    },
     ComboboxOption: ({ as: As = "div", value, children, ...props }) => {
       const ctx = useContext(ComboboxContext);
       const content = typeof children === "function" ? children({ active: false }) : children;
@@ -83,6 +95,21 @@ describe("components/widgets/search", () => {
     openSpy.mockRestore();
   });
 
+  it("does not search when the input is cleared", () => {
+    const openSpy = vi.spyOn(window, "open").mockImplementation(() => null);
+
+    renderWithProviders(<Search options={{ provider: ["google"], showSearchSuggestions: false, target: "_self" }} />, {
+      settings: {},
+    });
+
+    const input = screen.getByPlaceholderText("search.placeholder");
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "a" } });
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "" } });
+
+    expect(openSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    openSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   it("accepts provider configured as a string", () => {
     const openSpy = vi.spyOn(window, "open").mockImplementation(() => null);