diff --git a/templates/_search.ejs b/templates/_search.ejs
index ebfe804..72b1fbc 100644
--- a/templates/_search.ejs
+++ b/templates/_search.ejs
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@
       <form method="GET" action="/search" >
         <div class="eight columns" >
           <%
-          let search = typeof q == 'undefined' ? '' : q;
-          search = htmlEscape(q).replace(/\+/g, ' ')
+          let search = ''
+          if (typeof q == 'undefined') {
+            search = htmlEscape(q).replace(/\+/g, ' ')
+          }
           %>
           <input type="text" name="q" value="<%- search %>" class="u-full-width" />
         </div>