diff --git a/backend/endpoints.go b/backend/endpoints.go
index 8ec77127..afe9c5e7 100644
--- a/backend/endpoints.go
+++ b/backend/endpoints.go
@@ -73,7 +73,16 @@ func SearchName(c *gin.Context) {
 		if len(results.Names) > maxResults {
 			results.Names = results.Names[:maxResults]
 		}
-		c.JSON(http.StatusOK, results)
+		// todo: bug here as an empty struct is returned if no results are found higher up in the stack
+		if len(results.Names) > 1 {
+			c.JSON(http.StatusOK, results)
+		} else if len(results.Names) == 1 {
+			if len(results.Names[0].Name) > 0 {
+				c.JSON(http.StatusOK, results)
+			} else {
+				c.JSON(http.StatusNoContent, nil)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/components/organisms/searchPage.tsx b/frontend/components/organisms/searchPage.tsx
index 6863a1a3..91d06ddf 100644
--- a/frontend/components/organisms/searchPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/organisms/searchPage.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function SearchPage() {
             placeholder="Search for a lifter..."
             onChange={async e => setInputSearch(e.target.value)}
           />
-          Number of lifters found: {data?.total}, showing {data?.names.length}
+          Number of lifters found: {(data?.total) || 0}, showing {(data?.names.length) || 0}
           <br />
           {data && (
           <Listbox aria-label='Lifter search results'>