diff --git a/application/libraries/Omeka/Db/Table.php b/application/libraries/Omeka/Db/Table.php
index eaf55ed09d..157229db54 100644
--- a/application/libraries/Omeka/Db/Table.php
+++ b/application/libraries/Omeka/Db/Table.php
@@ -366,9 +366,27 @@ public function applySearchFilters($select, $params)
         foreach($columns as $column) {
             if(array_key_exists($column, $params)) {
                 if (is_array($params[$column])) {
-                    $select->where("`$alias`.`$column` IN (?)", $params[$column]);
+                    // empty IN() breaks SQL
+                    if (empty($params[$column])) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    $nullIndex = array_search(null, $params[$column], true);
+                    $where = "`$alias`.`$column` IN (?)";
+                    if ($nullIndex !== false) {
+                        unset($params[$column][$nullIndex]);
+                        if (empty($params[$column])) {
+                            $where = "`$alias`.`$column` IS NULL";
+                        } else {
+                            $where .= " OR `$alias`.`$column` IS NULL";
+                        }
+                    }
+                    $select->where($where, $params[$column]);
                 } else {
-                    $select->where("`$alias`.`$column` = ?", $params[$column]);
+                    if ($params[$column] === null) {
+                        $select->where("`$alias`.`$column` IS NULL");
+                    } else {
+                        $select->where("`$alias`.`$column` = ?", $params[$column]);
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }