diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Admin/Search.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Admin/Search.php
index 76658312..744e561d 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Admin/Search.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Admin/Search.php
@@ -11,12 +11,18 @@ class Search extends Controller
 {
     public function getSearch()
     {
-
         $results = [];
         $term = Input::get('search');
 
         if (!is_null($term)) {
-            $results = $this->performSearch($term);
+            try {
+                $results = $this->performSearch($term);
+            } catch (InvalidArgumentException $e) {
+                // user entered empty string (or something like empty string)
+                return redirect()
+                    ->route('search')
+                    ->with('error', $e->getMessage());
+            }
         }
 
         return view('admin.search.page', ['search' => $term, 'results' => $results]);
diff --git a/resources/views/admin/search/page.blade.php b/resources/views/admin/search/page.blade.php
index 0eb9deb4..cbf25edb 100644
--- a/resources/views/admin/search/page.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/admin/search/page.blade.php
@@ -8,6 +8,18 @@
         <h2>@lang('search.pageTitle')</h2>
     </div>
 
+    @if (session('success'))
+        <div data-alert class="callout success">
+            <strong>{{ session('success') }}</strong>
+        </div>
+    @endif
+
+    @if (session('error'))
+        <div data-alert class="callout alert">
+            <strong>{{ session('error') }}</strong>
+        </div>
+    @endif
+
     @if ($search)
         <div class="row">
             <div class="column large-8">