diff --git a/src/app/search/controllers/SearchController.php b/src/app/search/controllers/SearchController.php
index f3202b84008910c9656c8c53465a7931f83dcba6..b988cb7efb73c05a404727d47a47aca545938ff0 100644
--- a/src/app/search/controllers/SearchController.php
+++ b/src/app/search/controllers/SearchController.php
@@ -724,6 +724,9 @@ class SearchController
                 }
                 $departments .= "'{$value}%'";
             }
+            if (empty($departments)) {
+                return null;
+            }
             $contacts = ContactModel::get([
                 'select' => ['id'],
                 'where'  => ["address_postcode like any (array[{$departments}])"]