diff --git a/src/entities/repos/institutions_repo.py b/src/entities/repos/institutions_repo.py
index b4820e5..8605ce6 100644
--- a/src/entities/repos/institutions_repo.py
+++ b/src/entities/repos/institutions_repo.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ async def get_institutions(
             .limit(count)
             .offset(page * count)
         )
-        if leis:
+        if leis is not None:
             stmt = stmt.filter(FinancialInstitutionDao.lei.in_(leis))
         elif d := domain.strip():
             search = "%{}%".format(d)
diff --git a/tests/api/routers/test_institutions_api.py b/tests/api/routers/test_institutions_api.py
index 3af621f..dd6d706 100644
--- a/tests/api/routers/test_institutions_api.py
+++ b/tests/api/routers/test_institutions_api.py
@@ -172,3 +172,24 @@ def test_get_associated_institutions(
         inst2 = next(filter(lambda inst: inst["lei"] == "TESTBANK234", data))
         assert inst1["approved"] is False
         assert inst2["approved"] is True
+
+    def test_get_associated_institutions_with_no_institutions(
+        self, app_fixture: FastAPI, auth_mock: Mock, get_institutions_mock: Mock
+    ):
+        get_institutions_mock.return_value = []
+        claims = {
+            "name": "test",
+            "preferred_username": "test_user",
+            "email": "test@test234.bank",
+            "sub": "testuser123",
+            "institutions": [],
+        }
+        auth_mock.return_value = (
+            AuthCredentials(["authenticated"]),
+            AuthenticatedUser.from_claim(claims),
+        )
+        client = TestClient(app_fixture)
+        res = client.get("/v1/institutions/associated")
+        assert res.status_code == 200
+        get_institutions_mock.assert_called_once_with(ANY, [])
+        assert res.json() == []