diff --git a/mobile/lib/models/search/search_filter.model.dart b/mobile/lib/models/search/search_filter.model.dart
index 47baf356b7..297a819b6a 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/models/search/search_filter.model.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/models/search/search_filter.model.dart
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ class SearchFilter {
     AssetType? mediaType,
   }) {
     return SearchFilter(
-      context: context,
-      filename: filename,
+      context: context ?? this.context,
+      filename: filename ?? this.filename,
       people: people ?? this.people,
       location: location ?? this.location,
       camera: camera ?? this.camera,
diff --git a/mobile/lib/pages/search/search.page.dart b/mobile/lib/pages/search/search.page.dart
index 01119485cf..bfde8aac96 100644
--- a/mobile/lib/pages/search/search.page.dart
+++ b/mobile/lib/pages/search/search.page.dart
@@ -441,19 +441,15 @@ class SearchPage extends HookConsumerWidget {
     }
 
     handleTextSubmitted(String value) {
-      if (value.isEmpty) {
-        return;
-      }
-
       if (isContextualSearch.value) {
         filter.value = filter.value.copyWith(
-          filename: null,
+          filename: '',
           context: value,
         );
       } else {
         filter.value = filter.value.copyWith(
           filename: value,
-          context: null,
+          context: '',
         );
       }