diff --git a/src/components/dms/AddMembersFlow.tsx b/src/components/dms/AddMembersFlow.tsx
index 1601594dab..749e6976ed 100644
--- a/src/components/dms/AddMembersFlow.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dms/AddMembersFlow.tsx
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ export function AddMembersFlow({
       }
     }
 
-    if (searchText === '') {
+    if (searchText === '' && _items.length > 0) {
       _items.unshift({
         type: 'label',
         key: 'suggested',
diff --git a/src/components/dms/InitiateChatFlow.tsx b/src/components/dms/InitiateChatFlow.tsx
index 09760aefdf..32da1e3e5b 100644
--- a/src/components/dms/InitiateChatFlow.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dms/InitiateChatFlow.tsx
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ export function InitiateChatFlow({
 
     if (
       searchText === '' &&
+      _items.length > 0 &&
       (chatState === ChatState.NEW_CHAT ||
         chatState === ChatState.NEW_GROUP_CHAT)
     ) {