diff --git a/search-app/src/cmr/search/services/json_parameters/conversion.clj b/search-app/src/cmr/search/services/json_parameters/conversion.clj
index 96b1c92350..7e77445583 100644
--- a/search-app/src/cmr/search/services/json_parameters/conversion.clj
+++ b/search-app/src/cmr/search/services/json_parameters/conversion.clj
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@
   "Perform all validations against the provided JSON query."
   [concept-type json-query]
   (concept-type-validation concept-type)
+  (when-not json-query
+    (errors/throw-service-errors :invalid-data ["JSON query cannot be empty"]))
   (when-let [errors (seq (js/validate-json (concept-type->json-query-schema concept-type) json-query))]
     (errors/throw-service-errors :bad-request errors)))
 
diff --git a/system-int-test/test/cmr/system_int_test/search/collection_search_format_test.clj b/system-int-test/test/cmr/system_int_test/search/collection_search_format_test.clj
index 263c353992..7df6de94f8 100644
--- a/system-int-test/test/cmr/system_int_test/search/collection_search_format_test.clj
+++ b/system-int-test/test/cmr/system_int_test/search/collection_search_format_test.clj
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@
            (search/get-search-failure-xml-data
              (search/find-concepts-in-format
                "application/echo11+xml" :collection {})))))
-  
+
   (testing "invalid format html escape"
     (is (= {:status 400,
             :errors ["The mime types specified in the accept header [application/html "qss="QssAttrValue] are not supported."]}
@@ -1221,3 +1221,29 @@
       (is (= ["STAC result format is only supported for granule searches"]
              (:errors response)
              (:errors ext-response))))))
+
+(deftest search-with-empty-json
+  (let [coll1 (d/ingest "PROV1" (dc/collection))
+        coll-concept-id (:concept-id coll1)
+        _ (index/wait-until-indexed)
+        response1 (client/get
+                   (url/search-url :collection)
+                   {:accept "application/json"
+                    :content-type "application/json"
+                    :body nil
+                    :throw-exceptions false
+                    :connection-manager (s/conn-mgr)})
+        response2 (client/get
+                   (url/search-url :collection)
+                   {:accept "application/json"
+                    :content-type "application/json"
+                    :body ""
+                    :throw-exceptions false
+                    :connection-manager (s/conn-mgr)})]
+    (testing "testing collection search with empty json body"
+      (is (= 422
+             (:status response1)
+             (:status response2)))
+      (is (= "JSON query cannot be empty"
+             (first (:errors (json/decode (:body response1) true)))
+             (first (:errors (json/decode (:body response2) true))))))))