diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc
index 43ece02570..5f13fd2f3c 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc
@@ -6,7 +6,20 @@
 [% IF CAN_user_borrowers_edit_borrowers || CAN_user_borrowers_list_borrowers %]
     [%- SET searchtype = searchtype || Koha.Preference('DefaultPatronSearchMethod') -%]
     [% WRAPPER tab_panel tabname="patron_search" bt_active= bs_tab_active %]
-        <form method="get" action="/cgi-bin/koha/members/member.pl">
+        <form method="get" action="/cgi-bin/koha/members/member.pl" onsubmit="return validatePatronSearch(this);">
+            <script>
+                function validatePatronSearch(form) {
+                    const searchTerm = form.searchmember.value.trim();
+                    const branchSelected = form.branchcode_filter && form.branchcode_filter.value !== "";
+                    const categorySelected = form.categorycode_filter && form.categorycode_filter.value !== "";
+
+                    if (!searchTerm && !branchSelected && !categorySelected) {
+                        alert("Please enter a search term or select a library/category");
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                    return true;
+                }
+            </script>
             <input type="hidden" name="quicksearch" value="1" />
 
             <div class="form-title">
@@ -23,7 +36,7 @@
                 <button type="button" class="form-extra-content-toggle" title="More options"><i class="form-extra-content-icon fa-solid fa-sliders" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
             </div>
 
-            <button type="submit" aria-label="Search"><i class="fa fa-arrow-right"></i></button>
+            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary" aria-label="Search"><i class="fa fa-arrow-right"></i></button>
 
             <div class="form-extra-content">
                 <div> [% INCLUDE patron_fields_dropdown search_box=1 %] </div>
diff --git a/members/member.pl b/members/member.pl
index f0b68ade6f..c247461fe9 100755
--- a/members/member.pl
+++ b/members/member.pl
@@ -69,16 +69,19 @@ my $searchtype       = $input->param('searchtype');
 
 $template->param( 'alphabet' => C4::Context->preference('alphabet') || join ' ', 'A' .. 'Z' );
 
+my $branchcode_filter   = scalar $input->param('branchcode_filter');
+my $categorycode_filter = scalar $input->param('categorycode_filter');
+
 $template->param(
     patron_lists        => [ GetPatronLists() ],
     searchmember        => $searchmember,
-    branchcode_filter   => scalar $input->param('branchcode_filter'),
-    categorycode_filter => scalar $input->param('categorycode_filter'),
+    branchcode_filter   => $branchcode_filter,
+    categorycode_filter => $categorycode_filter,
     searchtype          => $searchtype,
     searchfieldstype    => $searchfieldstype,
     PatronsPerPage      => C4::Context->preference("PatronsPerPage") || 20,
     circsearch          => $circsearch,
-    defer_loading       => $searchmember ? 0 : 1,
+    defer_loading       => ( $searchmember || $branchcode_filter || $categorycode_filter ) ? 0 : 1,
 );
 
 output_html_with_http_headers $input, $cookie, $template->output;