diff --git a/bookwyrm/outgoing.py b/bookwyrm/outgoing.py
index 9d894a26b..d12a0430a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/outgoing.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/outgoing.py
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ def handle_account_search(query):
     except models.User.DoesNotExist:
         url = 'https://%s/.well-known/webfinger?resource=acct:%s' % \
             (domain, query)
-        response = requests.get(url)
+        try:
+            response = requests.get(url)
+        except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
+            return None
         if not response.ok:
             response.raise_for_status()
         data = response.json()
@@ -52,8 +55,8 @@ def handle_account_search(query):
                 try:
                     user = get_or_create_remote_user(link['href'])
                 except KeyError:
-                    return HttpResponseNotFound()
-    return user
+                    return None
+    return [user]
 
 
 def handle_follow(user, to_follow):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/user_results.html b/bookwyrm/templates/user_results.html
index 5c48d850c..94f8a82e0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/user_results.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/user_results.html
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 {% extends 'layout.html' %}
 {% block content %}
 <div class="content-container">
+    {% if not results %}
+    <p>No results found for "{{ query }}"</p>
+    {% endif %}
     {% for result in results %}
     <div>
         <h2>{{ result.username }}</h2>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views.py b/bookwyrm/views.py
index 2bfc45a3c..0f34884a7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views.py
@@ -120,9 +120,9 @@ def search(request):
     query = request.GET.get('q')
     if re.match(r'\w+@\w+.\w+', query):
         # if something looks like a username, search with webfinger
-        results = [outgoing.handle_account_search(query)]
+        results = outgoing.handle_account_search(query)
         return TemplateResponse(
-            request, 'user_results.html', {'results': results}
+            request, 'user_results.html', {'results': results, 'query': query}
         )
 
     # or just send the question over to book search