diff --git a/internal/normalize/normailze.go b/internal/normalize/normailze.go
index d6ed45d..6bd7203 100644
--- a/internal/normalize/normailze.go
+++ b/internal/normalize/normailze.go
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ import (
 // GitRemote helper
 // Returns normalized git remote - valid even on error
 func GitRemote(sugar *zap.SugaredLogger, gitRemote string) string {
+	if len(gitRemote) == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
 	gitRemote = strings.TrimSuffix(gitRemote, ".git")
 	parsedURL, err := giturls.Parse(gitRemote)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/normalize/normalize_test.go b/internal/normalize/normalize_test.go
index 847928d..a85b538 100644
--- a/internal/normalize/normalize_test.go
+++ b/internal/normalize/normalize_test.go
@@ -37,10 +37,15 @@ func TestGitRemote(t *testing.T) {
 				one := normalize.GitRemote(sugar, arr[i])
 				two := normalize.GitRemote(sugar, arr[j])
 				if one != two {
-					t.Fatalf("Normalized git remotes should match for '%s' and '%s'\n -> got: '%s' != '%s'",
+					t.Fatalf("Normalized git remotes should match for '%s' and '%s'\n -> got '%s' != '%s'",
 						arr[i], arr[j], one, two)
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	empty := normalize.GitRemote(sugar, "")
+	if len(empty) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("Normalized git remotes for '' should be ''\n -> got '%s'", empty)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/searchapp/item.go b/internal/searchapp/item.go
index 2cd9ef2..3c86cd5 100644
--- a/internal/searchapp/item.go
+++ b/internal/searchapp/item.go
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ func NewItemFromRecordForQuery(record recordint.SearchApp, query Query, debug bo
 	//		-> N matches against the command
 	//		-> 1 extra match for the actual directory match
 	sameGitRepo := false
-	if query.gitOriginRemote != "" && query.gitOriginRemote == record.GitOriginRemote {
+	if len(query.gitOriginRemote) != 0 && query.gitOriginRemote == record.GitOriginRemote {
 		sameGitRepo = true
 	}