diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/antispam.py b/bookwyrm/models/antispam.py
index 4632c64ee..b894ade77 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/antispam.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/antispam.py
@@ -84,19 +84,17 @@ def automod_users(reporter):
     user_rules = AutoMod.objects.filter(flag_users=True).values_list(
         "string_match", flat=True
     )
+    if not user_rules:
+        return []
 
     filters = []
     for field in ["username", "summary", "name"]:
         filters += [{f"{field}__icontains": r} for r in user_rules]
-    users = (
-        User.objects.filter(
-            reduce(operator.or_, (Q(**f) for f in filters)),
-            is_active=True,
-            report__isnull=True,  # don't flag users that already have reports
-        )
-        .distinct()
-        .values_list("id", flat=True)
-    )
+    users = User.objects.filter(
+        reduce(operator.or_, (Q(**f) for f in filters)),
+        is_active=True,
+        report__isnull=True,  # don't flag users that already have reports
+    ).distinct()
 
     report_model = apps.get_model("bookwyrm", "Report", require_ready=True)
 
@@ -118,6 +116,9 @@ def automod_statuses(reporter):
         "string_match", flat=True
     )
 
+    if not status_rules:
+        return []
+
     filters = []
     for field in ["content", "content_warning", "quotation__quote", "review__name"]:
         filters += [{f"{field}__icontains": r} for r in status_rules]