diff --git a/netbox/dcim/filters.py b/netbox/dcim/filters.py
index 69bccd253..4cf53c303 100644
--- a/netbox/dcim/filters.py
+++ b/netbox/dcim/filters.py
@@ -260,8 +260,11 @@ class DeviceFilter(CustomFieldFilterSet, django_filters.FilterSet):
         ).distinct()
 
     def _mac_address(self, queryset, value):
+        value = value.strip()
+        if not value:
+            return queryset
         try:
-            return queryset.filter(interfaces__mac_address=value.strip()).distinct()
+            return queryset.filter(interfaces__mac_address=value).distinct()
         except AddrFormatError:
             return queryset.none()
 
diff --git a/netbox/dcim/forms.py b/netbox/dcim/forms.py
index cb6ed261a..961d22440 100644
--- a/netbox/dcim/forms.py
+++ b/netbox/dcim/forms.py
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ class DeviceFilterForm(BootstrapMixin, CustomFieldFilterForm):
     platform = FilterChoiceField(queryset=Platform.objects.annotate(filter_count=Count('devices')),
                                  to_field_name='slug', null_option=(0, 'None'))
     status = forms.NullBooleanField(required=False, widget=forms.Select(choices=FORM_STATUS_CHOICES))
-    mac_address = forms.CharField(label='MAC address', required=False)
+    mac_address = forms.CharField(required=False, label='MAC address')
 
 
 #