diff --git a/public/forum/index.php b/public/forum/index.php
index ca5e7a39..a840b1cb 100644
--- a/public/forum/index.php
+++ b/public/forum/index.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use Misuzu\Database;
 require_once __DIR__ . '/../../misuzu.php';
 
 $categories = forum_get_root_categories();
+$blankForum = count($categories) <= 1 && $categories[0]['forum_children'] < 1;
 
 foreach ($categories as $key => $category) {
     $categories[$key]['forum_subforums'] = forum_get_children($category['forum_id'], $app->getUserId());
@@ -20,4 +21,5 @@ foreach ($categories as $key => $category) {
 
 echo $app->getTemplating()->render('forum.index', [
     'forum_categories' => $categories,
+    'forum_empty' => $blankForum,
 ]);
diff --git a/src/Forum/forum.php b/src/Forum/forum.php
index aa811fba..f009623c 100644
--- a/src/Forum/forum.php
+++ b/src/Forum/forum.php
@@ -51,8 +51,10 @@ function forum_fetch(int $forumId): array
         WHERE `forum_id` = :forum_id
     ');
     $getForum->bindValue('forum_id', $forumId);
+    $getForum->execute();
+    $forums = $getForum->fetch();
 
-    return $getForum->execute() ? $getForum->fetch() : [];
+    return $forums ? $forums : [];
 }
 
 function forum_get_root_categories(): array
diff --git a/src/Forum/topic.php b/src/Forum/topic.php
index 23ac680f..c38cdd55 100644
--- a/src/Forum/topic.php
+++ b/src/Forum/topic.php
@@ -50,8 +50,10 @@ function forum_topic_fetch(int $topicId): array
         AND t.`topic_deleted` IS NULL
     ');
     $getTopic->bindValue('topic_id', $topicId);
+    $getTopic->execute();
+    $topic = $getTopic->fetch();
 
-    return $getTopic->execute() ? $getTopic->fetch() : [];
+    return $topic ? $topic : [];
 }
 
 function forum_topic_bump(int $topicId): bool
diff --git a/views/mio/forum/index.twig b/views/mio/forum/index.twig
index d5951586..5c8b9d17 100644
--- a/views/mio/forum/index.twig
+++ b/views/mio/forum/index.twig
@@ -6,21 +6,30 @@
 {% set canonical_url = '/forum/' %}
 
 {% block content %}
-    {% for category in forum_categories %}
-        {% if category.forum_children > 0 %}
-            {{ forum_category_listing(category.forum_subforums, category.forum_name) }}
-        {% endif %}
-    {% endfor %}
+    {% if not forum_empty %}
+        {% for category in forum_categories %}
+            {% if category.forum_children > 0 %}
+                {{ forum_category_listing(category.forum_subforums, category.forum_name) }}
+            {% endif %}
+        {% endfor %}
 
-    <div class="container forum__actions">
-        <div class="container__title">Actions</div>
-        <div class="container__content forum__actions__content">
-            <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">Mark All Read</a>
-            <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">Unanswered Posts</a>
-            <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">New Posts</a>
-            <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">Your Posts</a>
+        <div class="container forum__actions">
+            <div class="container__title">Actions</div>
+            <div class="container__content forum__actions__content">
+                <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">Mark All Read</a>
+                <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">Unanswered Posts</a>
+                <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">New Posts</a>
+                <a class="input__button forum__actions__button">Your Posts</a>
+            </div>
         </div>
-    </div>
+    {% else %}
+        <div class="container">
+            <div class="container__title">Forums</div>
+            <div class="container__content">
+                <p>There are no forums yet, check back later!</p>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+    {% endif %}
 
     {{ navigation(mio_navigation, '/forum/') }}
 {% endblock %}