diff --git a/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el b/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el
index 48794ceb3f..3279c3221e 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/gnus-sum.el
@@ -8247,7 +8247,7 @@ gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
 	(let ((articles (gnus-summary-find-matching
 			 (or header "subject") subject 'all nil nil
 			 not-matching)))
-	  (unless articles
+	  (unless (or articles not-matching)
 	    (error "Found no matches for \"%s\"" subject))
 	  (gnus-summary-limit articles))
       (gnus-summary-position-point))))
@@ -8318,7 +8318,7 @@ gnus-summary-limit-to-recipient
 				 (and (memq a to) a))
 			       cc)
 		     (nconc to cc))))
-	     (unless articles
+	     (unless (or articles not-matching)
 	       (error "Found no matches for \"%s\"" recipient))
 	     (gnus-summary-limit articles))
       (gnus-summary-position-point))))
@@ -8374,7 +8374,7 @@ gnus-summary-limit-to-address
 		     (nconc (if (eq to t) nil to)
 			    (if (eq cc t) nil cc)
 			    from))))
-	     (unless articles
+	     (unless (or articles not-matching)
 	       (error "Found no matches for \"%s\"" address))
 	     (gnus-summary-limit articles))
       (gnus-summary-position-point))))
@@ -8465,7 +8465,7 @@ gnus-summary-limit-to-extra
 	(let ((articles (gnus-summary-find-matching
 			 (cons 'extra header) regexp 'all nil nil
 			 not-matching)))
-	  (unless articles
+	  (unless (or articles not-matching)
 	    (error "Found no matches for \"%s\"" regexp))
 	  (gnus-summary-limit articles))
       (gnus-summary-position-point))))