diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-pane/chat-pane.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-pane/chat-pane.tsx
index e75efd432..420275227 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-pane/chat-pane.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-pane/chat-pane.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import useAccountSearch from 'soapbox/queries/search';
 
 import ChatList from '../chat-list';
 import ChatPaneHeader from '../chat-pane-header';
-import ChatSearch from '../chat-search';
+import ChatSearch from '../chat-search/chat-search';
 import ChatWindow from '../chat-window';
 import { Pane } from '../ui';
 
@@ -44,10 +44,11 @@ const ChatPane = () => {
   const unreadCount = sumBy(chats, (chat) => chat.unread);
 
   const hasSearchValue = Number(value?.length) > 0;
-  console.log('hasSearchValue', hasSearchValue);
 
-
-  const handleClickChat = (chat: IChat) => setChat(chat);
+  const handleClickChat = (chat: IChat) => {
+    setChat(chat);
+    setValue(undefined);
+  };
 
   const clearValue = () => {
     if (hasSearchValue) {
@@ -133,7 +134,10 @@ const ChatPane = () => {
         unreadCount={unreadCount}
         isOpen={isOpen}
         onToggle={toggleChatPane}
-        secondaryAction={() => setSearching(true)}
+        secondaryAction={() => {
+          setSearching(true);
+          setValue(undefined);
+        }}
         secondaryActionIcon={require('@tabler/icons/edit.svg')}
       />
 
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-search.test.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/__tests__/chat-search.test.tsx
similarity index 91%
rename from app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-search.test.tsx
rename to app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/__tests__/chat-search.test.tsx
index 4693e6e87..2e9e0b7bd 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-search.test.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/__tests__/chat-search.test.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { __stub } from 'soapbox/api';
 import { ChatProvider } from 'soapbox/contexts/chat-context';
 
-import { render, screen, waitFor } from '../../../../jest/test-helpers';
+import { render, screen, waitFor } from '../../../../../jest/test-helpers';
 import ChatSearch from '../chat-search';
 
 const renderComponent = () => render(
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ describe('<ChatSearch />', () => {
   });
 
   describe('when the pane is open', () => {
-    beforeEach(async() => {
+    beforeEach(async () => {
       renderComponent();
       await userEvent.click(screen.getByTestId('icon-button'));
     });
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ describe('<ChatSearch />', () => {
         });
       });
 
-      it('renders accounts', async() => {
+      it('renders accounts', async () => {
         renderComponent();
 
         const user = userEvent.setup();
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/blankslate.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/blankslate.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..54ba3a4b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/blankslate.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { Stack, Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
+
+const Blankslate = () => (
+  <Stack justifyContent='center' alignItems='center' space={2} className='h-full w-2/3 mx-auto'>
+    <Text weight='bold' size='lg' align='center'>Search followers</Text>
+    <Text theme='muted' align='center'>
+      You can start a conversation with anyone that follows you.
+    </Text>
+  </Stack>
+);
+
+export default Blankslate;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx
similarity index 67%
rename from app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search.tsx
rename to app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx
index 2d91d9745..c84bf2d88 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx
@@ -3,16 +3,19 @@ import { AxiosError } from 'axios';
 import React, { useState } from 'react';
 
 import snackbar from 'soapbox/actions/snackbar';
-import { Avatar, HStack, Icon, Input, Stack, Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
-import VerificationBadge from 'soapbox/components/verification_badge';
+import { HStack, Icon, Input, Stack, Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
 import { useChatContext } from 'soapbox/contexts/chat-context';
 import { useAppDispatch, useDebounce } from 'soapbox/hooks';
 import { useChats } from 'soapbox/queries/chats';
 import { queryClient } from 'soapbox/queries/client';
 import useAccountSearch from 'soapbox/queries/search';
 
-import ChatPaneHeader from './chat-pane-header';
-import { Pane } from './ui';
+import ChatPaneHeader from '../chat-pane-header';
+import { Pane } from '../ui';
+
+import Blankslate from './blankslate';
+import EmptyResultsBlankslate from './empty-results-blankslate';
+import Results from './results';
 
 const ChatSearch = () => {
   const debounce = useDebounce;
@@ -24,9 +27,10 @@ const ChatSearch = () => {
   const [value, setValue] = useState<string>();
   const debouncedValue = debounce(value as string, 300);
 
-  const { data: accounts } = useAccountSearch(debouncedValue);
+  const { data: accounts, isFetching } = useAccountSearch(debouncedValue);
 
-  const hasSearchValue = value && value.length > 0;
+  const hasSearchValue = debouncedValue && debouncedValue.length > 0;
+  const hasSearchResults = (accounts || []).length > 0;
 
   const handleClickOnSearchResult = useMutation((accountId: string) => {
     return getOrCreateChatByAccountId(accountId);
@@ -41,6 +45,24 @@ const ChatSearch = () => {
     },
   });
 
+  const renderBody = () => {
+    if (hasSearchResults) {
+      return (
+        <Results
+          accounts={accounts}
+          onSelect={(id) => {
+            handleClickOnSearchResult.mutate(id);
+            clearValue();
+          }}
+        />
+      );
+    } else if (hasSearchValue && !hasSearchResults && !isFetching) {
+      return <EmptyResultsBlankslate />;
+    } else {
+      return <Blankslate />;
+    }
+  };
+
   const clearValue = () => {
     if (hasSearchValue) {
       setValue('');
@@ -93,30 +115,7 @@ const ChatSearch = () => {
           </div>
 
           <Stack className='overflow-y-scroll flex-grow h-full' space={2}>
-            {(accounts || []).map((account: any) => (
-              <button
-                key={account.id}
-                type='button'
-                className='px-4 py-2 w-full flex flex-col hover:bg-gray-100 dark:hover:bg-gray-800'
-                onClick={() => {
-                  handleClickOnSearchResult.mutate(account.id);
-                  clearValue();
-                }}
-                data-testid='account'
-              >
-                <HStack alignItems='center' space={2}>
-                  <Avatar src={account.avatar} size={40} />
-
-                  <Stack alignItems='start'>
-                    <div className='flex items-center space-x-1 flex-grow'>
-                      <Text weight='bold' size='sm' truncate>{account.display_name}</Text>
-                      {account.verified && <VerificationBadge />}
-                    </div>
-                    <Text size='sm' weight='medium' theme='muted' truncate>@{account.acct}</Text>
-                  </Stack>
-                </HStack>
-              </button>
-            ))}
+            {renderBody()}
           </Stack>
         </Stack>
       ) : null}
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/empty-results-blankslate.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/empty-results-blankslate.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..15daf9319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/empty-results-blankslate.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { Stack, Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
+
+const EmptyResultsBlankslate = () => (
+  <Stack justifyContent='center' alignItems='center' space={2} className='h-full w-2/3 mx-auto'>
+    <Text weight='bold' size='lg' align='center'>No matches found</Text>
+    <Text theme='muted' align='center'>
+      Try searching for another name.
+    </Text>
+  </Stack>
+);
+
+export default EmptyResultsBlankslate;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/results.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/results.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1a036c2ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/results.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { Avatar, HStack, Stack, Text } from 'soapbox/components/ui';
+import VerificationBadge from 'soapbox/components/verification_badge';
+
+interface IResults {
+  accounts: {
+    display_name: string
+    acct: string
+    id: string
+    avatar: string
+    verified: boolean
+  }[]
+  onSelect(id: string): void
+}
+
+const Results = ({ accounts, onSelect }: IResults) => (
+  <>
+    {(accounts || []).map((account: any) => (
+      <button
+        key={account.id}
+        type='button'
+        className='px-4 py-2 w-full flex flex-col hover:bg-gray-100 dark:hover:bg-gray-800'
+        onClick={() => onSelect(account.id)}
+        data-testid='account'
+      >
+        <HStack alignItems='center' space={2}>
+          <Avatar src={account.avatar} size={40} />
+
+          <Stack alignItems='start'>
+            <div className='flex items-center space-x-1 flex-grow'>
+              <Text weight='bold' size='sm' truncate>{account.display_name}</Text>
+              {account.verified && <VerificationBadge />}
+            </div>
+            <Text size='sm' weight='medium' theme='muted' truncate>@{account.acct}</Text>
+          </Stack>
+        </HStack>
+      </button>
+    ))}
+  </>
+);
+
+export default Results;
\ No newline at end of file