diff --git a/admin/search.php b/admin/search.php
index c07f86241ac..4fcde9546a3 100644
--- a/admin/search.php
+++ b/admin/search.php
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ echo '<fieldset>';
 echo '<div class="clearer"><!-- --></div>';
 if ($resultshtml != '') {
     echo $resultshtml;
-    echo '<div class="form-buttons"><input class="form-submit" type="submit" value="'.get_string('savechanges','admin').'" /></div>';
 } else {
     echo get_string('noresults','admin');
 }
diff --git a/lib/adminlib.php b/lib/adminlib.php
index dea854e25ad..e39627d0b91 100644
--- a/lib/adminlib.php
+++ b/lib/adminlib.php
@@ -4177,6 +4177,7 @@ function admin_search_settings_html($query) {
     $adminroot =& admin_get_root();
     $findings = $adminroot->search($query);
     $return = '';
+    $savebutton = false;
 
     foreach ($findings as $found) {
         $page     = $found->page;
@@ -4193,6 +4194,7 @@ function admin_search_settings_html($query) {
             continue;
         }
         if (!empty($settings)) {
+            $savebutton = true;
             $return .= '<fieldset class="adminsettings">'."\n";
             foreach ($settings as $setting) {
                 $return .= '<div class="clearer"><!-- --></div>'."\n";
@@ -4211,6 +4213,10 @@ function admin_search_settings_html($query) {
         }
     }
 
+    if ($savebutton) {
+         $return .= '<div class="form-buttons"><input class="form-submit" type="submit" value="'.get_string('savechanges','admin').'" /></div>';
+    }
+
     return $return;
 }