diff --git a/backend/static/filter.js b/backend/static/filter.js
index 0bf9d8a..64d9d49 100644
--- a/backend/static/filter.js
+++ b/backend/static/filter.js
@@ -4,17 +4,43 @@
   function applyFilter() {
     var box = document.getElementById("search");
     if (!box) return;
-    var needle = box.value.trim().toLowerCase();
-    document.querySelectorAll(".card").forEach(function (card) {
+    var query = box.value.trim();
+    var needle = query.toLowerCase();
+    var cards = document.querySelectorAll(".card");
+    var visible = 0;
+    cards.forEach(function (card) {
       var title = (card.dataset.title || "").toLowerCase();
       card.hidden = needle !== "" && title.indexOf(needle) === -1;
+      if (!card.hidden) visible++;
     });
+
+    // The strip is never filtered, so leaving it up during a search puts
+    // non-matching covers above an empty list and the screen contradicts
+    // itself.
+    var recent = document.querySelector(".recent");
+    if (recent) recent.hidden = needle !== "";
+
+    // An empty bucket already explains itself server-side; this only speaks
+    // when the filter is what emptied the screen.
+    var none = document.getElementById("no-match");
+    if (none) {
+      none.hidden = !(needle !== "" && cards.length > 0 && visible === 0);
+      if (!none.hidden) none.querySelector(".no-match-q").textContent = query;
+    }
   }
 
   document.addEventListener("input", function (e) {
     if (e.target && e.target.id === "search") applyFilter();
   });
 
+  document.addEventListener("click", function (e) {
+    if (!e.target || !e.target.classList.contains("clear-search")) return;
+    var box = document.getElementById("search");
+    box.value = "";
+    applyFilter();
+    box.focus();
+  });
+
   // htmx replaces the list on a tab switch, so re-apply to the new cards.
   document.body.addEventListener("htmx:afterSwap", applyFilter);
 })();
diff --git a/backend/static/style.css b/backend/static/style.css
index 9d2ebaa..ebf18dd 100644
--- a/backend/static/style.css
+++ b/backend/static/style.css
@@ -591,6 +591,17 @@ button { cursor: pointer; }
 }
 .empty strong { font: 400 20px var(--font-display); color: var(--paper); }
 .empty.hot strong { color: var(--ember); }
+.empty .clear-search {
+  align-self: flex-start;
+  margin-top: 4px;
+  height: 44px;
+  padding: 0 16px;
+  border: 1px solid var(--field-line);
+  background: transparent;
+  color: var(--paper-dim);
+  font: 400 16px var(--font-display);
+}
+.empty .clear-search:hover { color: var(--paper); border-color: var(--paper); }
 .empty p {
   margin: 0;
   max-width: 44ch;
diff --git a/backend/templates/list.html b/backend/templates/list.html
index e6edf97..38ca406 100644
--- a/backend/templates/list.html
+++ b/backend/templates/list.html
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 {{define "list"}}
 {{if .Items}}
   {{range .Items}}{{template "card" .}}{{end}}
+  {{/* The client filter only hides cards, so without this the list area goes
+       blank on a query that matches nothing. filter.js fills in the query and
+       unhides it; it lives inside #list so a tab swap re-creates it. */}}
+  <div class="empty" id="no-match" hidden>
+    <strong>No titles match “<span class="no-match-q"></span>”.</strong>
+    <button type="button" class="clear-search">Clear search</button>
+  </div>
 {{else if eq .Tab "fav"}}
   <div class="empty"><strong>No favourites yet.</strong><p>Star a series to pin it here.</p></div>
 {{else if eq .Tab "new"}}