diff --git a/modules/indexer/code/search.go b/modules/indexer/code/search.go
index fbce8b189d2..9f18d633217 100644
--- a/modules/indexer/code/search.go
+++ b/modules/indexer/code/search.go
@@ -87,11 +87,9 @@ func HighlightSearchResultCode(filename, language string, lineNums []int, code s
 	return lines
 }
 
-func RawSearchResultCode(filename, language string, lineNums []int, code string) []*ResultLine {
-	// we should highlight the whole code block first, otherwise it doesn't work well with multiple line highlighting
+func rawSearchResultCode(lineNums []int, code string) []*ResultLine {
 	rawLines := strings.Split(code, "\n")
 
-	// The lineNums outputted by highlight.Code might not match the original lineNums, because "highlight" removes the last `\n`
 	lines := make([]*ResultLine, min(len(rawLines), len(lineNums)))
 	for i := 0; i < len(lines); i++ {
 		lines[i] = &ResultLine{
@@ -137,7 +135,7 @@ func searchResult(result *internal.SearchResult, startIndex, endIndex int, escap
 	if escapeHTML {
 		lines = HighlightSearchResultCode(result.Filename, result.Language, lineNums, formattedLinesBuffer.String())
 	} else {
-		lines = RawSearchResultCode(result.Filename, result.Language, lineNums, formattedLinesBuffer.String())
+		lines = rawSearchResultCode(lineNums, formattedLinesBuffer.String())
 	}
 
 	return &Result{
diff --git a/modules/structs/explore.go b/modules/structs/explore.go
index abb5727baa6..6fc708da089 100644
--- a/modules/structs/explore.go
+++ b/modules/structs/explore.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright 2024 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
-package structs // import "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
+package structs
 
 // ExploreCodeSearchItem A code search match
 // swagger:model
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/explore/code.go b/routers/api/v1/explore/code.go
index 48a83f4b9c4..6a8c21271bd 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/explore/code.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/explore/code.go
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-// Copyright 2021 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright 2024 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 package explore
 
 import (
 	"net/http"
+	"slices"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/db"
 	repo_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ func Code(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	//   type: integer
 	// - name: fuzzy
 	//   in: query
-	//   description: whether to search fuzzy or strict
+	//   description: whether to search fuzzy or strict (defaults to true)
 	//   type: boolean
 	// responses:
 	//   "200":
@@ -50,9 +51,9 @@ func Code(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	isFuzzy := ctx.FormOptionalBool("fuzzy").ValueOrDefault(true)
 
 	if keyword == "" {
-		ctx.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, api.SearchError{
-			OK:    false,
-			Error: "No keyword provided",
+		ctx.JSON(http.StatusOK, api.ExploreCodeResult{
+			Total:   0,
+			Results: make([]api.ExploreCodeSearchItem, 0),
 		})
 		return
 	}
@@ -71,7 +72,6 @@ func Code(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 		isAdmin = ctx.Doer.IsAdmin
 	}
 
-	// guest user or non-admin user
 	if ctx.Doer == nil || !isAdmin {
 		repoIDs, err = repo_model.FindUserCodeAccessibleRepoIDs(ctx, ctx.Doer)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -112,14 +112,7 @@ func Code(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 
 		loadRepoIDs := make([]int64, 0, len(searchResults))
 		for _, result := range searchResults {
-			var find bool
-			for _, id := range loadRepoIDs {
-				if id == result.RepoID {
-					find = true
-					break
-				}
-			}
-			if !find {
+			if !slices.Contains(loadRepoIDs, result.RepoID) {
 				loadRepoIDs = append(loadRepoIDs, result.RepoID)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/services/convert/explore.go b/services/convert/explore.go
index 5a2eeb08ed8..9983f6a93a8 100644
--- a/services/convert/explore.go
+++ b/services/convert/explore.go
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 func ToExploreCodeSearchResults(total int, results []*code_indexer.Result, repoMaps map[int64]*repo_model.Repository) api.ExploreCodeResult {
-	out := api.ExploreCodeResult{Total: total}
+	out := api.ExploreCodeResult{
+		Total:   total,
+		Results: make([]api.ExploreCodeSearchItem, 0, len(results)),
+	}
 	for _, res := range results {
 		if repo := repoMaps[res.RepoID]; repo != nil {
 			for _, r := range res.Lines {
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index 011836925b0..7bcb096aaf0 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@
           },
           {
             "type": "boolean",
-            "description": "whether to search fuzzy or strict",
+            "description": "whether to search fuzzy or strict (defaults to true)",
             "name": "fuzzy",
             "in": "query"
           }