diff --git a/src/external.ts b/src/external.ts
index b9d5c8b..7efbb60 100644
--- a/src/external.ts
+++ b/src/external.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export const getUsers = async (ctx: Context, name?: string): Promise<any[]> => {
   }).catch(() => UserListResponse.fromPartial({}));
 
   if (!userList || !userList.items || userList.items.length === 0) {
-    return;
+    return [];
   }
 
   const allRoles = await ctx.roleClient.read({
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export const getGroups = async (ctx: Context, name?: string): Promise<any[]> =>
   }
 
   if (!roleList || !roleList.items || roleList.items.length === 0) {
-    return;
+    return [];
   }
 
   const allUsers = await ctx.userClient.read({
diff --git a/test/base.test.ts b/test/base.test.ts
index b2c8117..7bc911a 100644
--- a/test/base.test.ts
+++ b/test/base.test.ts
@@ -224,6 +224,19 @@ describe('search', () => {
         values: ['John Doe']
       });
     });
+
+    it('should not find a missing user', async () => {
+      const response = await new Promise<SearchResponse>(r => {
+        const client = getClient(true);
+        client.search('cn=Mary,ou=users,' + server.cfg.get('ldap:base_dn'), {}, async (err, res) => {
+          r(await readResponse(res));
+        })
+      });
+
+      expect(response.error).toBe(undefined);
+      expect(response.entries).not.toBe(undefined);
+      expect(response.entries).lengthOf(0);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('group', () => {
@@ -262,5 +275,18 @@ describe('search', () => {
         ]
       });
     });
+
+    it('should not find a missing group', async () => {
+      const response = await new Promise<SearchResponse>(r => {
+        const client = getClient(true);
+        client.search('cn=Builder,ou=groups,' + server.cfg.get('ldap:base_dn'), {}, async (err, res) => {
+          r(await readResponse(res));
+        })
+      });
+
+      expect(response.error).toBe(undefined);
+      expect(response.entries).not.toBe(undefined);
+      expect(response.entries).lengthOf(0);
+    });
   });
 });