diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/artists.js b/app/assets/javascripts/artists.js
index c86b9f4ca..b59a8b8d0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/artists.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/artists.js
@@ -10,12 +10,17 @@
   Danbooru.Artist.initialize_check_name_link = function() {
     $("#check-name-link").click(function(e) {
       var artist_name = $("#artist_name").val();
+
+      if (artist_name.length === 0) {
+        $("#check-name-result").html("OK");
+      }
+
       $.get("/artists.json?name=" + artist_name,
         function(data) {
           if (data.length) {
-            $("#check-name-result").html("Taken")
+            $("#check-name-result").html("Taken");
           } else {
-            $("#check-name-result").html("OK")
+            $("#check-name-result").html("OK");
           }
         }
       );
diff --git a/app/controllers/artists_controller.rb b/app/controllers/artists_controller.rb
index 2512ef962..d912e1e5b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/artists_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/artists_controller.rb
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ class ArtistsController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def index
-    @artists = Artist.search(params[:search] || params).order("id desc").paginate(params[:page], :limit => params[:limit])
+    search_params = params[:search].present? ? params[:search] : params
+    @artists = Artist.search(search_params).order("id desc").paginate(params[:page], :limit => params[:limit])
     respond_with(@artists) do |format|
       format.xml do
         render :xml => @artists.to_xml(:include => [:urls], :root => "artists")