diff --git a/pkg/search/handler.go b/pkg/search/handler.go
index 14af2fd0d..dcee86322 100644
--- a/pkg/search/handler.go
+++ b/pkg/search/handler.go
@@ -661,6 +661,11 @@ func (sh *Handler) serveFiles(rw http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// the ui code expects an object
+	if files == nil {
+		files = []blob.Ref{}
+	}
+
 	ret.Files = files
 	return
 }
diff --git a/pkg/types/camtypes/search.go b/pkg/types/camtypes/search.go
index acc7ce2d2..c132680fa 100644
--- a/pkg/types/camtypes/search.go
+++ b/pkg/types/camtypes/search.go
@@ -250,5 +250,5 @@ type SearchErrorResponse struct {
 type FileSearchResponse struct {
 	SearchErrorResponse
 
-	Files []blob.Ref `json:"files,omitempty"` // Refs of the result files.
+	Files []blob.Ref `json:"files"` // Refs of the result files. Never nil.
 }