diff --git a/rest/admin-ui-ext/src/main/java/org/keycloak/admin/ui/rest/GroupsResource.java b/rest/admin-ui-ext/src/main/java/org/keycloak/admin/ui/rest/GroupsResource.java
index d9b307992b..bbfa03664a 100644
--- a/rest/admin-ui-ext/src/main/java/org/keycloak/admin/ui/rest/GroupsResource.java
+++ b/rest/admin-ui-ext/src/main/java/org/keycloak/admin/ui/rest/GroupsResource.java
@@ -57,15 +57,12 @@ public class GroupsResource {
                                                         @QueryParam("exact") @DefaultValue("false") boolean exact) {
         this.auth.groups().requireList();
         final Stream<GroupModel> stream;
-        if (!"".equals(search)) {
-            if (global) {
-                stream = session.groups().searchForGroupByNameStream(realm, search, exact, first, max);
-            } else {
-                stream = this.realm.getTopLevelGroupsStream().filter(g -> g.getName().contains(search)).skip(first).limit(max);
-            }
+        if (global) {
+            stream = session.groups().searchForGroupByNameStream(realm, search.trim(), exact, first, max);
         } else {
-            stream = this.realm.getTopLevelGroupsStream(first, max);
+            stream = this.realm.getTopLevelGroupsStream().filter(g -> g.getName().contains(search)).skip(first).limit(max);
         }
+
         return stream.map(g -> toGroupHierarchy(g, search, exact));
     }