diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 83fe2678e..b5057a7bf 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -17163,6 +17163,16 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 if self.server.key_shortcuts.get(nickname):
                     access_keys = self.server.key_shortcuts[nickname]
 
+                banner_filename = \
+                    acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, self.server.domain) + \
+                    '/search_banner.png'
+                if not os.path.isfile(banner_filename):
+                    if os.path.isfile(base_dir +
+                                      '/theme/default/search_banner.png'):
+                        copyfile(base_dir +
+                                 '/theme/default/search_banner.png',
+                                 banner_filename)
+
                 # show the search screen
                 msg = html_search(self.server.translate,
                                   self.server.base_dir, self.path,
diff --git a/webapp_search.py b/webapp_search.py
index 1b9adde4c..80c381552 100644
--- a/webapp_search.py
+++ b/webapp_search.py
@@ -404,6 +404,20 @@ def html_search(translate: {}, base_dir: str, path: str, domain: str,
     search_banner_file, search_banner_filename = \
         get_search_banner_file(base_dir, search_nickname, domain, theme)
 
+    # if there is no search banner then use the default
+    if not search_banner_filename:
+        if os.path.isfile(base_dir +
+                          '/theme/default/search_banner.png'):
+            banner_filename = \
+                acct_dir(base_dir, search_nickname, domain) + \
+                '/search_banner.png'
+            copyfile(base_dir +
+                     '/theme/default/search_banner.png',
+                     banner_filename)
+            search_banner_file, search_banner_filename = \
+                get_search_banner_file(base_dir,
+                                       search_nickname, domain, theme)
+
     text_mode_banner_str = html_keyboard_navigation(text_mode_banner, {}, {})
     if text_mode_banner_str is None:
         text_mode_banner_str = ''