diff --git a/lamin_utils/_search.py b/lamin_utils/_search.py
index 95e99b1..cb009d5 100644
--- a/lamin_utils/_search.py
+++ b/lamin_utils/_search.py
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ def search(
     import pandas as pd
     from pandas.api.types import is_object_dtype, is_string_dtype
 
+    if len(df) == 0:
+        return df
+
     fields_convert = {}
     if field is None:
         fields = df.columns.to_list()
diff --git a/tests/test_search.py b/tests/test_search.py
index 7ed3ea8..d99da6a 100644
--- a/tests/test_search.py
+++ b/tests/test_search.py
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ def df():
 
 def test_search_synonyms(df):
     res = search(df=df, string="P cell")
-    assert res.iloc[0].name == "nodal myocyte"
+    assert res.iloc[0]["name"] == "nodal myocyte"
 
     # search in name, without synonyms search
     res = search(df=df, string="P cell", field="name")
-    assert res.iloc[0].name == "PP cell"
+    assert res.iloc[0]["name"] == "PP cell"
 
 
 def test_search_limit(df):
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ def test_search_limit(df):
 def test_search_return_df(df):
     res = search(df=df, string="P cell")
     assert res.shape == (2, 4)
-    assert res.iloc[0].name == "nodal myocyte"
+    assert res.iloc[0]["name"] == "nodal myocyte"
 
 
 def test_search_pass_fields(df):
     res = search(df=df, string="type F enteroendocrine", field=["synonyms", "children"])
-    assert res.iloc[0].synonyms == "type F enteroendocrine cell"
+    assert res.iloc[0]["synonyms"] == "type F enteroendocrine cell"
 
 
 def test_search_case_sensitive(df):