diff --git a/web/src/activity_ui.ts b/web/src/activity_ui.ts
index 422b566d63..e05c6e64bf 100644
--- a/web/src/activity_ui.ts
+++ b/web/src/activity_ui.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ import $ from "jquery";
 import _ from "lodash";
 import assert from "minimalistic-assert";
 
-import render_empty_list_widget_for_list from "../templates/empty_list_widget_for_list.hbs";
-
 import * as activity from "./activity.ts";
 import * as blueslip from "./blueslip.ts";
 import * as buddy_data from "./buddy_data.ts";
@@ -120,17 +118,6 @@ export function searching(): boolean {
     return user_filter?.searching() ?? false;
 }
 
-export function render_empty_user_list_message_if_needed($container: JQuery): void {
-    const empty_list_message = $container.attr("data-search-results-empty");
-
-    if (!empty_list_message || $container.children().length > 0) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    const empty_list_widget_html = render_empty_list_widget_for_list({empty_list_message});
-    $container.append($(empty_list_widget_html));
-}
-
 export let build_user_sidebar = (): number[] | undefined => {
     if (realm.realm_presence_disabled) {
         return undefined;
@@ -143,9 +130,6 @@ export let build_user_sidebar = (): number[] | undefined => {
 
     buddy_list.populate({all_user_ids});
 
-    render_empty_user_list_message_if_needed(buddy_list.$users_matching_view_list);
-    render_empty_user_list_message_if_needed(buddy_list.$other_users_list);
-
     return all_user_ids; // for testing
 };
 
diff --git a/web/tests/activity.test.cjs b/web/tests/activity.test.cjs
index 9a2ae2605b..baaab37a90 100644
--- a/web/tests/activity.test.cjs
+++ b/web/tests/activity.test.cjs
@@ -469,29 +469,6 @@ test("first/prev/next", ({override, override_rewire, mock_template}) => {
     assert.equal(buddy_list.next_key(fred.user_id), undefined);
 });
 
-test("render_empty_user_list_message", ({override, mock_template}) => {
-    const empty_list_message = "No matching users.";
-    mock_template("empty_list_widget_for_list.hbs", false, (data) => {
-        assert.equal(data.empty_list_message, empty_list_message);
-        return "<empty-list-stub>";
-    });
-
-    let $appended_data;
-    override(buddy_list, "$container", {
-        append($data) {
-            $appended_data = $data;
-        },
-        attr(name) {
-            assert.equal(name, "data-search-results-empty");
-            return empty_list_message;
-        },
-        children: () => [],
-    });
-
-    activity_ui.render_empty_user_list_message_if_needed(buddy_list.$container);
-    assert.equal($appended_data.selector, "<empty-list-stub>");
-});
-
 test("insert_one_user_into_empty_list", ({override, mock_template}) => {
     override(user_settings, "user_list_style", 2);