diff --git a/src/app/stores/clients.ts b/src/app/stores/clients.ts
index ed2f9498..23f0ea32 100644
--- a/src/app/stores/clients.ts
+++ b/src/app/stores/clients.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export const useClientsStore = defineStore('Clients', () => {
   const clientsPersist = ref<Record<string, ClientPersist>>({});
 
   const searchParams = ref({
-    filter: '',
+    filter: undefined as string | undefined,
   });
 
   const { data: _clients, refresh: _refresh } = useFetch('/api/client', {
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ export const useClientsStore = defineStore('Clients', () => {
       };
     });
 
+    // TODO: move search to backend
     if (transformedClients !== undefined) {
       transformedClients = sortByProperty(
         transformedClients,
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ export const useClientsStore = defineStore('Clients', () => {
 
   function setSearchQuery(filter: string) {
     clients.value = null;
-    searchParams.value.filter = filter;
+    searchParams.value.filter = filter || undefined;
   }
 
   return { clients, clientsPersist, refresh, _clients, setSearchQuery };
diff --git a/src/server/database/repositories/client/service.ts b/src/server/database/repositories/client/service.ts
index e9050eed..80ddf74d 100644
--- a/src/server/database/repositories/client/service.ts
+++ b/src/server/database/repositories/client/service.ts
@@ -133,11 +133,8 @@ export class ClientService {
    * Get clients based on user ID and filter conditions
    */
   async getForUserFiltered(userId: ID, filter: string) {
-    if (!filter.trim()) {
-      return this.getForUser(userId);
-    }
-
     const filterPattern = `%${filter.toLowerCase()}%`;
+
     const result = await this.#statements.findByUserIdFiltered.execute({
       userId,
       filter: filterPattern,
@@ -151,14 +148,11 @@ export class ClientService {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get all public clients based on filter conditions
+   * Get all clients based on filter conditions without sensitive data
    */
   async getAllPublicFiltered(filter: string) {
-    if (!filter.trim()) {
-      return this.getAllPublic();
-    }
-
     const filterPattern = `%${filter.toLowerCase()}%`;
+
     const result = await this.#statements.findAllPublicFiltered.execute({
       filter: filterPattern,
     });
diff --git a/src/server/database/repositories/client/types.ts b/src/server/database/repositories/client/types.ts
index 0e32baa8..479385e3 100644
--- a/src/server/database/repositories/client/types.ts
+++ b/src/server/database/repositories/client/types.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const address6 = z
   .min(1, { message: t('zod.client.address6') })
   .pipe(safeStringRefine);
 
-const filter = z.string().optional().default('');
+const filter = z.string().optional();
 
 const serverAllowedIps = z.array(AddressSchema, {
   message: t('zod.client.serverAllowedIps'),
diff --git a/src/server/utils/WireGuard.ts b/src/server/utils/WireGuard.ts
index c23c35ee..8f9a96f2 100644
--- a/src/server/utils/WireGuard.ts
+++ b/src/server/utils/WireGuard.ts
@@ -61,14 +61,16 @@ class WireGuard {
     WG_DEBUG('Config synced successfully.');
   }
 
-  async getClientsForUser(userId: ID, filter: string) {
+  async getClientsForUser(userId: ID, filter?: string) {
     const wgInterface = await Database.interfaces.get();
+
     let dbClients;
-    if (filter.trim()) {
+    if (filter?.trim()) {
       dbClients = await Database.clients.getForUserFiltered(userId, filter);
     } else {
       dbClients = await Database.clients.getForUser(userId);
     }
+
     const clients = dbClients.map((client) => ({
       ...client,
       latestHandshakeAt: null as Date | null,
@@ -107,14 +109,16 @@ class WireGuard {
     return clientDump;
   }
 
-  async getAllClients(filter: string) {
+  async getAllClients(filter?: string) {
     const wgInterface = await Database.interfaces.get();
+
     let dbClients;
-    if (filter.trim()) {
+    if (filter?.trim()) {
       dbClients = await Database.clients.getAllPublicFiltered(filter);
     } else {
       dbClients = await Database.clients.getAllPublic();
     }
+
     const clients = dbClients.map((client) => ({
       ...client,
       latestHandshakeAt: null as Date | null,