diff --git a/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts
index 7aafda5166..06fc686aa4 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/inbox.test.ts
@@ -1054,6 +1054,25 @@ describe("inbox helpers", () => {
     ).toEqual(["inbox", "archived", "other"]);
   });
 
+  it("omits empty archived and other ungrouped search sections", () => {
+    expect(
+      buildGroupedInboxSections(
+        [],
+        "none",
+        {},
+        { keyPrefix: "archived-search:", searchSection: "archived" },
+      ),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+    expect(
+      buildGroupedInboxSections(
+        [],
+        "none",
+        {},
+        { keyPrefix: "other-search:", searchSection: "other" },
+      ),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
   it("defaults the remembered inbox tab to mine and persists all", () => {
     localStorage.clear();
     expect(loadLastInboxTab()).toBe("mine");
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts b/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts
index e6b76c640e..be0e9145f7 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/inbox.ts
@@ -1126,6 +1126,9 @@ export function buildGroupedInboxSections(
   const keyPrefix = options?.keyPrefix ?? "";
   const searchSection = options?.searchSection ?? "none";
   const nestingEnabled = options?.nestingEnabled ?? false;
+  if (searchSection !== "none" && items.length === 0) {
+    return [];
+  }
 
   return groupInboxWorkItems(items, groupBy, workspaceGrouping).map((group) => {
     const nestedGroup = nestingEnabled && group.items.some((item) => item.kind === "issue")