diff --git a/services/iam/server/src/org/apache/cloudstack/iam/server/IAMServiceImpl.java b/services/iam/server/src/org/apache/cloudstack/iam/server/IAMServiceImpl.java
index 853c417d345..84ed5456ff7 100644
--- a/services/iam/server/src/org/apache/cloudstack/iam/server/IAMServiceImpl.java
+++ b/services/iam/server/src/org/apache/cloudstack/iam/server/IAMServiceImpl.java
@@ -276,6 +276,10 @@ public class IAMServiceImpl extends ManagerBase implements IAMService, Manager {
             }
         }
 
+        if (pathList.isEmpty()) {
+            return new ArrayList<AclGroup>();
+        }
+
         SearchBuilder<AclGroupVO> sb = _aclGroupDao.createSearchBuilder();
         sb.and("paths", sb.entity().getPath(), SearchCriteria.Op.IN);