diff --git a/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/search_data.ex b/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/search_data.ex
index d081d06d1..1f434c098 100644
--- a/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/search_data.ex
+++ b/lib/ex_doc/formatter/html/search_data.ex
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ defmodule ExDoc.Formatter.HTML.SearchData do
     extract_sections_from_markdown(doc)
   end
 
+  defp extract_sections("application/erlang+html", %{rendered_doc: nil}) do
+    {nil, []}
+  end
+
   defp extract_sections("application/erlang+html", %{rendered_doc: doc}) do
     {clean_html(doc), []}
   end
diff --git a/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/erlang_test.exs b/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/erlang_test.exs
index 341fdb287..d993c9278 100644
--- a/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/erlang_test.exs
+++ b/test/ex_doc/formatter/html/erlang_test.exs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ defmodule ExDoc.Formatter.HTML.ErlangTest do
     %% @doc
     %% foo module.
     -module(foo).
-    -export([foo/1]).
+    -export([foo/1, bar/0]).
     -export_type([t/0]).
 
     %% @doc
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ defmodule ExDoc.Formatter.HTML.ErlangTest do
     -spec foo(atom()) -> atom().
     foo(X) -> X.
 
+    -spec bar() -> baz.
+    bar() -> baz.
+
     -type t() :: atom().
     %% t/0 type.
     """)