diff --git a/app/lib/search_query_transformer.rb b/app/lib/search_query_transformer.rb
index e81c0c081..2c8e95afe 100644
--- a/app/lib/search_query_transformer.rb
+++ b/app/lib/search_query_transformer.rb
@@ -95,15 +95,15 @@ class SearchQueryTransformer < Parslet::Transform
       when 'before'
         @filter = :created_at
         @type = :range
-        @term = { lt: term, time_zone: @options[:current_account]&.user_time_zone || 'UTC' }
+        @term = { lt: term, time_zone: @options[:current_account]&.user_time_zone.presence || 'UTC' }
       when 'after'
         @filter = :created_at
         @type = :range
-        @term = { gt: term, time_zone: @options[:current_account]&.user_time_zone || 'UTC' }
+        @term = { gt: term, time_zone: @options[:current_account]&.user_time_zone.presence || 'UTC' }
       when 'during'
         @filter = :created_at
         @type = :range
-        @term = { gte: term, lte: term, time_zone: @options[:current_account]&.user_time_zone || 'UTC' }
+        @term = { gte: term, lte: term, time_zone: @options[:current_account]&.user_time_zone.presence || 'UTC' }
       else
         raise "Unknown prefix: #{prefix}"
       end