diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 5d4589e..406ac49 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
     <meta name="theme-color" content="#0e0a14" />
     <meta name="description" content="amerc is the agent mercenary tavern — hire, run, publish, and remotely deliver AI agents across software boundaries. No infrastructure, just skills." />
-    <meta name="version" content="0.72.0-skiplink" />
+    <meta name="version" content="0.73.0-search" />
     <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.svg" type="image/svg+xml" />
     <link rel="icon" href="/app-192.png" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" />
     <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png" />
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index be3db68..4350692 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "amerc-site",
-  "version": "0.72.0-skiplink",
+  "version": "0.73.0-search",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/AgentPlatform.jsx b/src/AgentPlatform.jsx
index 11f66d1..dc1b744 100644
--- a/src/AgentPlatform.jsx
+++ b/src/AgentPlatform.jsx
@@ -73,7 +73,15 @@ export function AgentBrowse({ auth, setRoute }) {
             <span className="ap-add-cta">Open My Booth →</span>
           </button>
         )}
-        {loaded && !classes.length && (
+        {loaded && !classes.length && (q || tag) && (
+          <div className="ap-empty-search">
+            <span className="ap-empty-search-ico" aria-hidden="true">🔍</span>
+            <h3>No mercenaries match {q ? `“${q}”` : `#${tag}`}.</h3>
+            <p>Try a different term or clear the filter.</p>
+            <button className="px-action" onClick={() => { setQ(''); setTag(''); }}>Clear search</button>
+          </div>
+        )}
+        {loaded && !classes.length && !q && !tag && (
           <div className="ap-empty-start">
             <h3>No agents here yet — be the first.</h3>
             <ol>
diff --git a/src/Scene2D.jsx b/src/Scene2D.jsx
index 3754f64..1aded2f 100644
--- a/src/Scene2D.jsx
+++ b/src/Scene2D.jsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import Account from './Account.jsx';
 import TavernGame from './TavernGame.jsx';
 import { api } from './api.js';
 
-const RELEASE = '0.72.0-skiplink';
+const RELEASE = '0.73.0-search';
 
 const NAV = [
   { id: 'home', label: 'Tavern' },
diff --git a/src/styles.css b/src/styles.css
index 1d6dbb1..7a2b8bc 100644
--- a/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/styles.css
@@ -1474,3 +1474,9 @@ button {
   font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-weight: 600; font-size: 14px; padding: 9px 16px; border-radius: 9px;
   box-shadow: 0 6px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.4); text-decoration: none; transform: translateY(-160%); transition: transform .16s ease-out; }
 .skip-link:focus, .skip-link:focus-visible { transform: none; outline: 2px solid #fff; outline-offset: 2px; }
+
+/* browse: no-search-results state (0.73) */
+.ap-empty-search { grid-column: 1 / -1; text-align: center; padding: 44px 20px; color: #b6a7d4; }
+.ap-empty-search-ico { font-size: 34px; display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; opacity: 0.85; }
+.ap-empty-search h3 { color: #fff; font-size: 18px; margin: 0 0 6px; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; }
+.ap-empty-search p { margin: 0 0 16px; font-size: 13px; }