diff --git a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/users/featured-notes.ts b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/users/featured-notes.ts
index fdf36a6ae0..dec0b7a122 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/users/featured-notes.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/server/api/endpoints/users/featured-notes.ts
@@ -50,16 +50,16 @@ export default class extends Endpoint<typeof meta, typeof paramDef> { // eslint-
 		super(meta, paramDef, async (ps, me) => {
 			let noteIds = await this.featuredService.getPerUserNotesRanking(ps.userId, 50);
 
-			if (noteIds.length === 0) {
-				return [];
-			}
-
 			noteIds.sort((a, b) => a > b ? -1 : 1);
 			if (ps.untilId) {
 				noteIds = noteIds.filter(id => id < ps.untilId!);
 			}
 			noteIds = noteIds.slice(0, ps.limit);
 
+			if (noteIds.length === 0) {
+				return [];
+			}
+
 			const query = this.notesRepository.createQueryBuilder('note')
 				.where('note.id IN (:...noteIds)', { noteIds: noteIds })
 				.innerJoinAndSelect('note.user', 'user')