diff --git a/repo/repo-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/repo/common/task/AbstractSearchIterativeTaskHandler.java b/repo/repo-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/repo/common/task/AbstractSearchIterativeTaskHandler.java
index da282141b37..40111e7ed24 100644
--- a/repo/repo-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/repo/common/task/AbstractSearchIterativeTaskHandler.java
+++ b/repo/repo-common/src/main/java/com/evolveum/midpoint/repo/common/task/AbstractSearchIterativeTaskHandler.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.PrismContext;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.PrismProperty;
+import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.query.FilterUtils;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.query.ObjectQuery;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.query.QueryJaxbConvertor;
 import com.evolveum.midpoint.prism.util.CloneUtil;
@@ -491,7 +492,7 @@ protected QueryType getObjectQueryTypeFromTaskObjectRef(Task task) {
     		return null;
     	}
     	SearchFilterType filterType = objectRef.getFilter();
-    	if (filterType == null) {
+    	if (filterType == null || FilterUtils.isFilterEmpty(filterType)) {
     		return null;
     	}
     	QueryType queryType = new QueryType();