diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt
index 0615f6e5dd..52cb2b338b 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt
@@ -874,10 +874,10 @@ private fun ChatListSearchBar(listState: LazyListState, searchText: MutableState
             } else {
               val candidate = nameSearchCandidate(it.trim())
               connectNameCandidate.value = candidate
-              // clear the previous match immediately so the list falls back to text search during the debounce,
-              // instead of showing a stale filtered chat while the new search runs
-              searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink.value = emptySet()
               if (candidate != null) {
+                // clear the previous match immediately so the list falls back to text search during the debounce,
+                // instead of showing a stale filtered chat while the new search runs
+                searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink.value = emptySet()
                 // resolve the name locally on each keystroke, debounced; collectLatest cancels the in-flight
                 // search when the next keystroke arrives. A bare name can be a contact or a channel, so search
                 // both and filter every known chat found; drop the row only when both types are already known.