diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsParser.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsParser.groovy
index 0e4b405b..b3cddabd 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsParser.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsParser.groovy
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class ResultsParser {
                 uuid: uuid,
                 certificates : certificates,
                 collections : collections,
-                path: path.toArray(new String[0]))
+                path: path.isEmpty() ? null : path.toArray(new String[0]))
         } catch (Exception e) {
             throw new InvalidSearchResultException("parsing search result failed",e)
         }
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsSender.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsSender.groovy
index e41c0033..b7b6c232 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsSender.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/search/ResultsSender.groovy
@@ -210,10 +210,14 @@ class ResultsSender {
         if (showPaths) {
             List<String> path = new ArrayList<>()
             if (sf.getPathToSharedParent() != null) {
-                for (Path element : sf.getPathToSharedParent())
-                    path << Base64.encode(DataUtil.encodei18nString(element.toString()))
+                for (Path element : sf.getPathToSharedParent()) {
+                    String toString = element.toString()
+                    if (!toString.isEmpty())
+                        path << Base64.encode(DataUtil.encodei18nString(toString))
+                }
             }
-            obj.path = path
+            if (!path.isEmpty())
+                obj.path = path
         }
             
         obj