diff --git a/src/experimental/parser/user.nim b/src/experimental/parser/user.nim
index a956aa85d..b4d710f6c 100644
--- a/src/experimental/parser/user.nim
+++ b/src/experimental/parser/user.nim
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ proc parseUser*(json: string; username=""): User =
 proc parseUsers*(json: string; after=""): Result[User] =
   result = Result[User](beginning: after.len == 0)
 
-  let raw = json.fromJson(seq[RawUser])
-  for user in raw:
-    result.content.add user.toUser
+  # starting with '{' means it's an error
+  if json[0] == '[':
+    let raw = json.fromJson(seq[RawUser])
+    for user in raw:
+      result.content.add user.toUser
diff --git a/src/routes/search.nim b/src/routes/search.nim
index aeaad9de9..02c14e30d 100644
--- a/src/routes/search.nim
+++ b/src/routes/search.nim
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ proc createSearchRouter*(cfg: Config) =
       of users:
         if "," in q:
           redirect("/" & q)
-        let users = await getUserSearch(query, getCursor())
+        var users: Result[User]
+        try:
+          users = await getUserSearch(query, getCursor())
+        except InternalError:
+          users = Result[User](beginning: true, query: query)
         resp renderMain(renderUserSearch(users, prefs), request, cfg, prefs, title)
       of tweets:
         let
diff --git a/src/types.nim b/src/types.nim
index 13d2f91b7..4dca5f016 100644
--- a/src/types.nim
+++ b/src/types.nim
@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ type
     null = 0
     noUserMatches = 17
     protectedUser = 22
-    paramsMissing = 25
+    missingParams = 25
     couldntAuth = 32
     doesntExist = 34
+    invalidParam = 47
     userNotFound = 50
     suspended = 63
     rateLimited = 88