diff --git a/lib/shared/search-utils.js b/lib/shared/search-utils.js
--- a/lib/shared/search-utils.js
+++ b/lib/shared/search-utils.js
@@ -323,18 +323,19 @@
   const callSearchUsers = useServerCall(searchUsers);
   const dispatchActionPromise = useDispatchActionPromise();
   React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (forwardLookupSearchText.length === 0) {
+      setServerSearchResults([]);
+      return;
+    }
+
     const searchUsersPromise = (async () => {
-      if (forwardLookupSearchText.length === 0) {
+      try {
+        const { userInfos } = await callSearchUsers(forwardLookupSearchText);
+        setServerSearchResults(
+          userInfos.filter(({ id }) => id !== currentUserID),
+        );
+      } catch (err) {
         setServerSearchResults([]);
-      } else {
-        try {
-          const { userInfos } = await callSearchUsers(forwardLookupSearchText);
-          setServerSearchResults(
-            userInfos.filter(({ id }) => id !== currentUserID),
-          );
-        } catch (err) {
-          setServerSearchResults([]);
-        }
       }
     })();
     void dispatchActionPromise(searchUsersActionTypes, searchUsersPromise);