diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu-results.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu-results.js.es6
index 5d6e03a82..d057d196e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu-results.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu-results.js.es6
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ class Highlighted extends RawHtml {
   }
 
   decorate($html) {
-    $html.highlight(this.term.split(/\s+/), { className: 'search-highlight' });
+    if (this.term) {
+      $html.highlight(this.term.split(/\s+/), { className: 'search-highlight' });
+    }
   }
 }