diff --git a/lib/ajax-chosen.js b/lib/ajax-chosen.js
index 4abf68b..a5e118a 100644
--- a/lib/ajax-chosen.js
+++ b/lib/ajax-chosen.js
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@
       if (data == null) {
         return;
       }
+      items = this.callback_function != null ? this.callback_function(data, this.search_field) : data;
+      if (!items.length) {
+        this.element.data().chosen.no_results_clear();
+        this.element.data().chosen.no_results(this.search_field.val());
+        return;
+      }
       selected_values = [];
       this.element.find('option').each(function() {
         if (!$(this).is(":selected")) {
@@ -109,7 +115,6 @@
       this.element.find('optgroup:empty').each(function() {
         return $(this).remove();
       });
-      items = this.callback_function != null ? this.callback_function(data, this.search_field) : data;
       nbItems = 0;
       _this = this;
       $.each(items, function(i, element) {
@@ -147,14 +152,9 @@
           }
         }
       });
-      if (nbItems) {
-        val_before_trigger = this.search_field.val();
-        this.element.trigger("chosen:updated");
-        this.search_field.val(val_before_trigger);
-      } else {
-        this.element.data().chosen.no_results_clear();
-        this.element.data().chosen.no_results(this.search_field.val());
-      }
+      val_before_trigger = this.search_field.val();
+      this.element.trigger("chosen:updated");
+      this.search_field.val(val_before_trigger);
       if (this.success != null) {
         return this.success(data);
       }
diff --git a/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js b/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js
index a8eec56..f3aaf63 100644
--- a/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js
+++ b/lib/ajax-chosen.min.js
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ this.options.data[this.options.jsonTermKey]=val;if(this.options.dataCallback!=nu
 _this=this;options=this.options;options.success=function(data){return _this.show_results(data);};return this.timer=setTimeout(function(){if(_this.chosenXhr){_this.chosenXhr.abort();}
 return _this.chosenXhr=$.ajax(options);},options.afterTypeDelay);};ajaxChosen.prototype.show_results=function(data){var _this,items,nbItems,selected_values,val_before_trigger;if(this.is_typing){return;}
 if(data==null){return;}
-selected_values=[];this.element.find('option').each(function(){if(!$(this).is(":selected")){return $(this).remove();}else{return selected_values.push($(this).val()+"-"+$(this).text());}});this.element.find('optgroup:empty').each(function(){return $(this).remove();});items=this.callback_function!=null?this.callback_function(data,this.search_field):data;nbItems=0;_this=this;$.each(items,function(i,element){var group,text,value;nbItems++;if(element.group){group=_this.element.find("optgroup[label='"+element.text+"']");if(!group.size()){group=$("<optgroup />");}
+items=this.callback_function!=null?this.callback_function(data,this.search_field):data;if(!items.length){this.element.data().chosen.no_results_clear();this.element.data().chosen.no_results(this.search_field.val());return;}
+selected_values=[];this.element.find('option').each(function(){if(!$(this).is(":selected")){return $(this).remove();}else{return selected_values.push($(this).val()+"-"+$(this).text());}});this.element.find('optgroup:empty').each(function(){return $(this).remove();});nbItems=0;_this=this;$.each(items,function(i,element){var group,text,value;nbItems++;if(element.group){group=_this.element.find("optgroup[label='"+element.text+"']");if(!group.size()){group=$("<optgroup />");}
 group.attr('label',element.text).appendTo(_this.element);return $.each(element.items,function(i,element){var text,value;if(typeof element==="string"){value=i;text=element;}else{value=element.value;text=element.text;}
 if($.inArray(value+"-"+text,selected_values)===-1){return $("<option />").attr('value',value).html(text).appendTo(group);}});}else{if(typeof element==="string"){value=i;text=element;}else{value=element.value;text=element.text;}
-if($.inArray(value+"-"+text,selected_values)===-1){return $("<option />").attr('value',value).html(text).appendTo(_this.element);}}});if(nbItems){val_before_trigger=this.search_field.val();this.element.trigger("chosen:updated");this.search_field.val(val_before_trigger);}else{this.element.data().chosen.no_results_clear();this.element.data().chosen.no_results(this.search_field.val());}
-if(this.success!=null){return this.success(data);}};$.fn.ajaxChosen=function(options,callback,chosenOptions){if(options==null){options={};}
+if($.inArray(value+"-"+text,selected_values)===-1){return $("<option />").attr('value',value).html(text).appendTo(_this.element);}}});val_before_trigger=this.search_field.val();this.element.trigger("chosen:updated");this.search_field.val(val_before_trigger);if(this.success!=null){return this.success(data);}};$.fn.ajaxChosen=function(options,callback,chosenOptions){if(options==null){options={};}
 if(chosenOptions==null){chosenOptions={};}
 return this.each(function(){return new ajaxChosen($(this),options,callback,chosenOptions);});};return ajaxChosen;})();})(jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ajax-chosen.coffee b/src/ajax-chosen.coffee
index fd7fd6b..4727da0 100644
--- a/src/ajax-chosen.coffee
+++ b/src/ajax-chosen.coffee
@@ -100,6 +100,15 @@ do ($ = jQuery) ->
       # Exit if the data we're given is invalid
       return unless data?
 
+      # Send the ajax results to the user callback so we can get an object of
+      # value => text pairs to inject as <option> elements.
+      items = if @callback_function? then @callback_function(data, @search_field) else data
+      unless items.length
+        # If there are no results, display the no_results text
+        @element.data().chosen.no_results_clear()
+        @element.data().chosen.no_results @search_field.val()
+        return
+
       # Go through all of the <option> elements in the <select> and remove
       # ones that have not been selected by the user.  For those selected
       # by the user, add them to a list to filter from the results later.
@@ -112,10 +121,6 @@ do ($ = jQuery) ->
       @element.find('optgroup:empty').each ->
         $(@).remove()
 
-      # Send the ajax results to the user callback so we can get an object of
-      # value => text pairs to inject as <option> elements.
-      items = if @callback_function? then @callback_function(data, @search_field) else data
-
       nbItems = 0
 
       _this = @
@@ -156,20 +161,15 @@ do ($ = jQuery) ->
               .html(text)
               .appendTo(_this.element)
 
-      if nbItems
-        # Tell chosen that the contents of the <select> input have been updated
-        # This makes chosen update its internal list of the input data.
-        val_before_trigger = @search_field.val()
-        @element.trigger("chosen:updated")
-        # For some reason, the contents of the input field get removed once you
-        # call trigger above. Often, this can be very annoying (and can make some
-        # searches impossible), so we add the value the user was typing back into
-        # the input field.
-        @search_field.val(val_before_trigger)
-      else
-        # If there are no results, display the no_results text
-        @element.data().chosen.no_results_clear()
-        @element.data().chosen.no_results @search_field.val()
+      # Tell chosen that the contents of the <select> input have been updated
+      # This makes chosen update its internal list of the input data.
+      val_before_trigger = @search_field.val()
+      @element.trigger("chosen:updated")
+      # For some reason, the contents of the input field get removed once you
+      # call trigger above. Often, this can be very annoying (and can make some
+      # searches impossible), so we add the value the user was typing back into
+      # the input field.
+      @search_field.val(val_before_trigger)
 
       # Finally, call the user supplied callback (if it exists)
       @success(data) if @success?