diff --git a/src/client/features/keywords/page/KeywordResearchEmptyState.tsx b/src/client/features/keywords/page/KeywordResearchEmptyState.tsx
index e65cd60..8756f0e 100644
--- a/src/client/features/keywords/page/KeywordResearchEmptyState.tsx
+++ b/src/client/features/keywords/page/KeywordResearchEmptyState.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { Clock, Globe, History, Search, X } from "lucide-react";
-import { reverse } from "remeda";
 import { LOCATIONS } from "@/client/features/keywords/utils";
 import type { KeywordResearchControllerState } from "./types";
 
@@ -18,17 +17,10 @@ export function KeywordResearchEmptyState({ controller }: Props) {
 }
 
 function NoResultsState({ controller }: Props) {
-  const {
-    controlsForm,
-    lastResultSource,
-    lastSearchKeyword,
-    lastSearchLocationCode,
-    lastUsedFallback,
-    onSearch,
-  } = controller;
+  const { lastSearchKeyword, lastSearchLocationCode } = controller;
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex-1 flex items-center justify-center px-4 md:px-6 py-6">
+    <div className="flex-1 flex items-start justify-center px-4 md:px-6 py-6">
       <div className="w-full max-w-2xl rounded-2xl border border-base-300 bg-base-100 p-6 md:p-8 text-center space-y-4">
         <Globe className="size-10 mx-auto text-base-content/40" />
         <div className="space-y-2">
@@ -47,54 +39,6 @@ function NoResultsState({ controller }: Props) {
             .
           </p>
         </div>
-
-        <div className="rounded-xl bg-base-200/70 px-4 py-3 text-left text-sm text-base-content/70 space-y-1">
-          <p>
-            Source checked:{" "}
-            <span className="font-medium">{lastResultSource}</span>
-            {lastUsedFallback ? (
-              <span> (with fallback chain: related - suggestions - ideas)</span>
-            ) : null}
-          </p>
-          <p>Try a broader phrase, swap word order, or change location.</p>
-        </div>
-
-        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-center gap-2">
-          <button
-            className="btn btn-sm btn-outline"
-            onClick={() => {
-              const words = lastSearchKeyword.split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
-              const reversedKeyword = reverse(words).join(" ");
-              if (!reversedKeyword || reversedKeyword === lastSearchKeyword) {
-                return;
-              }
-              controlsForm.setFieldValue("keyword", reversedKeyword);
-              onSearch({
-                keyword: reversedKeyword,
-                locationCode: lastSearchLocationCode,
-              });
-            }}
-            disabled={lastSearchKeyword.trim().split(/\s+/).length < 2}
-          >
-            Try reversed phrase
-          </button>
-          <button
-            className="btn btn-sm btn-ghost"
-            onClick={() => {
-              const firstWord = lastSearchKeyword
-                .split(/\s+/)
-                .filter(Boolean)[0];
-              if (!firstWord) return;
-              controlsForm.setFieldValue("keyword", firstWord);
-              onSearch({
-                keyword: firstWord,
-                locationCode: lastSearchLocationCode,
-              });
-            }}
-          >
-            Try broader seed
-          </button>
-        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.test.ts b/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4b334f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  parseTaskItems,
+  relatedKeywordItemSchema,
+  successfulDataforseoTaskSchema,
+} from "@/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas";
+
+describe("dataforseoSchemas", () => {
+  it("accepts null items for empty successful tasks", () => {
+    const task = {
+      id: "04042314-1577-0387-0000-33dc4b485cfd",
+      status_code: 20000,
+      status_message: "Ok.",
+      path: ["v3", "dataforseo_labs", "google", "related_keywords", "live"],
+      cost: 0.02,
+      result_count: 1,
+      result: [
+        {
+          se_type: "google",
+          seed_keyword: "canva ai video alternative",
+          location_code: 2840,
+          language_code: "en",
+          total_count: null,
+          items_count: 0,
+          items: null,
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    const parsedTask = successfulDataforseoTaskSchema.parse(task);
+
+    expect(
+      parseTaskItems(
+        "google-related-keywords-live",
+        parsedTask,
+        relatedKeywordItemSchema,
+      ),
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.ts b/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.ts
index 0023201..a459200 100644
--- a/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.ts
+++ b/src/server/lib/dataforseoSchemas.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const dataforseoTaskSchema = z
       .array(
         z
           .object({
-            items: z.array(z.unknown()).optional(),
+            items: z.array(z.unknown()).nullable().optional(),
           })
           .passthrough(),
       )