diff --git a/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/replace/replacetool.cpp b/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/replace/replacetool.cpp
index f83b27b..72675c7 100644
--- a/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/replace/replacetool.cpp
+++ b/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/replace/replacetool.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,13 @@ void ReplaceTool::replace( KFindDirection direction, bool fromCursor, bool inSel
     if( inSelection )
     {
         const Okteta::AddressRange selection = mByteArrayView->selection();
+        if( ! selection.isValid() )
+        {
+            // nothing selected, so skip any search and finish now
+            emit finished( false, 0 );
+            return;
+        }
+
         mReplaceFirstIndex = selection.start();
         mReplaceLastIndex =  selection.end();
         startIndex = selection.start();
diff --git a/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/search/searchtool.cpp b/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/search/searchtool.cpp
index 1229a46..ebbe5b4 100644
--- a/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/search/searchtool.cpp
+++ b/okteta/kasten/controllers/view/search/searchtool.cpp
@@ -123,6 +123,13 @@ void SearchTool::search( KFindDirection direction, bool fromCursor, bool inSelec
     if( inSelection )
     {
         const Okteta::AddressRange selection = mByteArrayView->selection();
+        if( ! selection.isValid() )
+        {
+            // nothing selected, so skip any search and finish now
+            emit dataNotFound();
+            return;
+        }
+
         mSearchFirstIndex = selection.start();
         mSearchLastIndex =  selection.end();
     }