diff --git a/temba/contacts/views.py b/temba/contacts/views.py
index a3f7a4de48..54bdee79d2 100644
--- a/temba/contacts/views.py
+++ b/temba/contacts/views.py
@@ -149,16 +149,10 @@ def get_queryset(self, **kwargs):
     def get_context_data(self, **kwargs):
         context = super().get_context_data(**kwargs)
 
-        org = self.request.org
-
-        # resolve the paginated object list so we can initialize a cache of URNs
-        contacts = context["object_list"]
-        Contact.bulk_urn_cache_initialize(contacts)
+        # prefetch contact URNs
+        Contact.bulk_urn_cache_initialize(context["object_list"])
 
-        context["contacts"] = contacts
-        context["has_contacts"] = contacts or org.get_contact_count() > 0
         context["search_error"] = self.search_error
-
         context["sort_direction"] = self.sort_direction
         context["sort_field"] = self.sort_field
 
diff --git a/templates/contacts/contact_list.html b/templates/contacts/contact_list.html
index b67e51fe35..d482f330cd 100644
--- a/templates/contacts/contact_list.html
+++ b/templates/contacts/contact_list.html
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
             {% endif %}
           </th>
         </tr>
-        {% for object in contacts %}
+        {% for object in object_list %}
           <tr onclick="handleRowClicked(event)"
               data-uuid="{{ object.uuid }}"
               data-object-id="{{ object.id }}"
diff --git a/templates/contacts/empty_include.html b/templates/contacts/empty_include.html
deleted file mode 100644
index 02fde4a9ec..0000000000
--- a/templates/contacts/empty_include.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-{% load i18n %}
-
-<div class="flex flex-col p-12">
-  <div class="page-title">{% trans "Contacts" %}</div>
-  <div class="mt-4">
-    {% blocktrans trimmed with name=branding.name %}
-      Contacts will automatically be added here as you communicate with them using {{ name }}.
-      From here you can change a contact's name, organize them into groups and see the communication you've had with each.
-    {% endblocktrans %}
-  </div>
-  <div class="mt-2">
-    {% url 'contacts.contactimport_create' as contact_import_url %}
-    {% blocktrans trimmed with url=contact_import_url %}
-      To get started you can <a href="{{ url }}">import</a> contacts from a file you create in Excel.
-    {% endblocktrans %}
-  </div>
-</div>