diff --git a/account.py b/account.py
index b8d3711aca..7337b4096f 100644
--- a/account.py
+++ b/account.py
@@ -306,11 +306,11 @@ class AccountTemplate(OSV):
             context=None, limit=None):
         if name:
             ids = self.search(cursor, user,
-                    [('code', 'like', name + '%')] + args,
+                    [('code', 'like', name + '%')] + (args or []),
                     limit=limit, context=context)
             if not ids:
                 ids = self.search(cursor, user,
-                        [(self._rec_name, operator, name)] + args,
+                        [(self._rec_name, operator, name)] + (args or []),
                         limit=limit, context=context)
         else:
             ids = self.search(cursor, user, args, limit=limit, context=context)
@@ -790,11 +790,11 @@ class Account(OSV):
             context=None, limit=None):
         if name:
             ids = self.search(cursor, user,
-                    [('code', 'like', name + '%')] + args,
+                    [('code', 'like', name + '%')] + (args or []),
                     limit=limit, context=context)
             if not ids:
                 ids = self.search(cursor, user,
-                        [(self._rec_name, operator, name)] + args,
+                        [(self._rec_name, operator, name)] + (args or []),
                         limit=limit, context=context)
         else:
             ids = self.search(cursor, user, args, limit=limit, context=context)