diff --git a/ui/src/timeMachine/reducers/index.ts b/ui/src/timeMachine/reducers/index.ts
index e42531c6be5..438e8d3e084 100644
--- a/ui/src/timeMachine/reducers/index.ts
+++ b/ui/src/timeMachine/reducers/index.ts
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ const buildActiveQuery = (draftState: TimeMachineState) => {
 
   if (isConfigValid(draftQuery.builderConfig)) {
     draftQuery.text = buildQuery(draftQuery.builderConfig)
-  } else {
+  } else if (!draftQuery.text) {
     draftQuery.text = ''
   }
 }