diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Controller/SearchController.php b/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Controller/SearchController.php
index b9f5d19d8..41349336a 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Controller/SearchController.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillMainBundle/Controller/SearchController.php
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class SearchController extends AbstractController
 
     public function searchAction(Request $request, $_format)
     {
-        $pattern = $request->query->get('q', '');
+        $pattern = trim($request->query->get('q', ''));
 
         if ('' === $pattern) {
             switch ($_format) {
diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Repository/PersonACLAwareRepository.php b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Repository/PersonACLAwareRepository.php
index 5ed9762c8..d5dc3cd7d 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Repository/PersonACLAwareRepository.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Repository/PersonACLAwareRepository.php
@@ -136,8 +136,11 @@ final class PersonACLAwareRepository implements PersonACLAwareRepositoryInterfac
         $andWhereSearchClause = [];
         $andWhereSearchClauseArgs = [];
 
-        if ('' !== $default) {
+        if ('' !== trim($default)) {
             foreach (explode(' ', $default) as $str) {
+                if ('' === trim($str)) {
+                    continue;
+                }
                 $pertinence[] =
                     'STRICT_WORD_SIMILARITY(LOWER(UNACCENT(?)), person.fullnamecanonical) + ' .
                     "(person.fullnamecanonical LIKE '%' || LOWER(UNACCENT(?)) || '%')::int + " .