diff --git a/src/groups/search.js b/src/groups/search.js
index 62df79696c..5552eb932c 100644
--- a/src/groups/search.js
+++ b/src/groups/search.js
@@ -88,10 +88,7 @@ module.exports = function (Groups) {
 
 		if (!data.query) {
 			Groups.getOwnersAndMembers(data.groupName, data.uid, 0, 19, function (err, users) {
-				if (err) {
-					return callback(err);
-				}
-				callback(null, { users: users });
+				callback(err, { users: users });
 			});
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/test/groups.js b/test/groups.js
index 6b52787efa..abc858e9dc 100644
--- a/test/groups.js
+++ b/test/groups.js
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ describe('Groups', function () {
 				// Also create a hidden group
 				Groups.join('Hidden', 'Test', next);
 			},
+			function (next) {
+				// create another group that starts with test for search/sort
+				Groups.create({	name: 'Test2', description: 'Foobar!' }, next);
+			},
 		], function (err, results) {
 			assert.ifError(err);
 			testUid = results[3];
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ describe('Groups', function () {
 		it('should list the groups present', function (done) {
 			Groups.getGroupsFromSet('groups:createtime', 0, 0, -1, function (err, groups) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				assert.equal(groups.length, 6);
+				assert.equal(groups.length, 7);
 				done();
 			});
 		});
@@ -98,10 +102,18 @@ describe('Groups', function () {
 	describe('.search()', function () {
 		var socketGroups = require('../src/socket.io/groups');
 
+		it('should return empty array if query is falsy', function (done) {
+			Groups.search(null, {}, function (err, groups) {
+				assert.ifError(err);
+				assert.equal(0, groups.length);
+				done();
+			});
+		});
+
 		it('should return the groups when search query is empty', function (done) {
 			socketGroups.search({ uid: adminUid }, { query: '' }, function (err, groups) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				assert.equal(3, groups.length);
+				assert.equal(4, groups.length);
 				done();
 			});
 		});
@@ -109,7 +121,7 @@ describe('Groups', function () {
 		it('should return the "Test" group when searched for', function (done) {
 			socketGroups.search({ uid: adminUid }, { query: 'test' }, function (err, groups) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				assert.equal(1, groups.length);
+				assert.equal(2, groups.length);
 				assert.strictEqual('Test', groups[0].name);
 				done();
 			});
@@ -118,7 +130,7 @@ describe('Groups', function () {
 		it('should return the "Test" group when searched for and sort by member count', function (done) {
 			Groups.search('test', { filterHidden: true, sort: 'count' }, function (err, groups) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				assert.equal(1, groups.length);
+				assert.equal(2, groups.length);
 				assert.strictEqual('Test', groups[0].name);
 				done();
 			});
@@ -127,25 +139,37 @@ describe('Groups', function () {
 		it('should return the "Test" group when searched for and sort by creation time', function (done) {
 			Groups.search('test', { filterHidden: true, sort: 'date' }, function (err, groups) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				assert.equal(1, groups.length);
-				assert.strictEqual('Test', groups[0].name);
+				assert.equal(2, groups.length);
+				assert.strictEqual('Test', groups[1].name);
 				done();
 			});
 		});
 
 		it('should return all users if no query', function (done) {
-			User.create({
-				username: 'newuser',
-				email: 'newuser@b.com',
-			}, function (err, uid) {
+			function createAndJoinGroup(username, email, callback) {
+				async.waterfall([
+					function (next) {
+						User.create({ username: username, email: email }, next);
+					},
+					function (uid, next) {
+						Groups.join('Test', uid, next);
+					},
+				], callback);
+			}
+			async.series([
+				function (next) {
+					createAndJoinGroup('newuser', 'newuser@b.com', next);
+				},
+				function (next) {
+					createAndJoinGroup('bob', 'bob@b.com', next);
+				},
+			], function (err) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				Groups.join('Test', uid, function (err) {
+
+				socketGroups.searchMembers({ uid: adminUid }, { groupName: 'Test', query: '' }, function (err, data) {
 					assert.ifError(err);
-					socketGroups.searchMembers({ uid: adminUid }, { groupName: 'Test', query: '' }, function (err, data) {
-						assert.ifError(err);
-						assert.equal(data.users.length, 2);
-						done();
-					});
+					assert.equal(data.users.length, 3);
+					done();
 				});
 			});
 		});