diff --git a/modules/search.module b/modules/search.module
index e2999c42d930f1dfd43e8874d82625b547078ba6..647b856e082ffb7b9f61b265a1d9b8d58d1b51e2 100644
--- a/modules/search.module
+++ b/modules/search.module
@@ -1014,10 +1014,9 @@ function search_form_validate($form_id, $form_values) {
  */
 function search_form_submit($form_id, $form_values) {
   $keys = $form_values['processed_keys']['#ref'];
-  if (trim($keys) == '') {
+  if ($keys == '') {
     form_set_error('keys', t('Please enter some keywords.'));
     // Fall through to the drupal_goto() call.
-    $keys = '';
   }
 
   $type = $form_values['module'] ? $form_values['module'] : 'node';
diff --git a/modules/search/search.module b/modules/search/search.module
index e2999c42d930f1dfd43e8874d82625b547078ba6..647b856e082ffb7b9f61b265a1d9b8d58d1b51e2 100644
--- a/modules/search/search.module
+++ b/modules/search/search.module
@@ -1014,10 +1014,9 @@ function search_form_validate($form_id, $form_values) {
  */
 function search_form_submit($form_id, $form_values) {
   $keys = $form_values['processed_keys']['#ref'];
-  if (trim($keys) == '') {
+  if ($keys == '') {
     form_set_error('keys', t('Please enter some keywords.'));
     // Fall through to the drupal_goto() call.
-    $keys = '';
   }
 
   $type = $form_values['module'] ? $form_values['module'] : 'node';