diff --git a/modules/search.module b/modules/search.module
index 0f7e1434dfb364de7930dbefaec80c0bfe782948..e3fbb9dfbfe5d460ec9529b755a3dbd4db15b48d 100644
--- a/modules/search.module
+++ b/modules/search.module
@@ -262,8 +262,10 @@ function update_index($search_array) {
       ** Walk through the weighted words array, inserting them into
       ** the search index
       */
-      foreach ($newwords as $key => $value) {
-        db_query("INSERT INTO search_index VALUES('$key', ". $node["lno"] .", '$node_type', $value)");
+      if ($newwords) {
+        foreach ($newwords as $key => $value) {
+          db_query("INSERT INTO search_index VALUES('$key', ". $node["lno"] .", '$node_type', $value)");
+        }
       }
 
       // Zap the weighted words array, so we don't add multiples.