diff --git a/app/controllers/searches_controller.rb b/app/controllers/searches_controller.rb
index 7e91d253..c3243668 100644
--- a/app/controllers/searches_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/searches_controller.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def show
       cond_text = filter_names.map{|w| "LOWER(entries.body) like ?"}.join(" OR ")
       cond_values = filter_names.map{|w| "%#{w}%"}
       @entries = current_user.entries.where(cond_text, *cond_values)
-    elsif search_params[:term].include?('"')
+    elsif search_params[:term].present? && search_params[:term].include?('"')
       exact_phrase = search_params[:term].delete('"')
       @entries = current_user.entries.where("entries.body ~* ?", "\\m#{exact_phrase}\\M")
     else