diff --git a/guix/scripts/locate.scm b/guix/scripts/locate.scm
index ae64f46896..92af3509bf 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/locate.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/locate.scm
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ (define* (populate-database database clear?)
                                  files)))
             (()
              (if (null? files)
-                 (unless update?
+                 (unless (or update? (assoc-ref opts 'clear?))
                    (leave (G_ "no files to search for~%")))
                  (leave (N_ "file~{ '~a'~} not found in database '~a'~%"
                             "files~{ '~a'~} not found in database '~a'~%"
diff --git a/tests/guix-locate.sh b/tests/guix-locate.sh
index 43f8ba53b0..de0ea5769d 100755
--- a/tests/guix-locate.sh
+++ b/tests/guix-locate.sh
@@ -70,3 +70,9 @@ then
     $cmd_store guile | grep "$(guix build guile-bootstrap)/bin/guile"
     $cmd_store boot-9.scm | grep ^guile-bootstrap
 fi
+
+# The command below is an error: "no files to search for"...
+guix locate && false
+
+# ... but this one is fine.
+guix locate --clear