diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/xref.el b/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
index 0b25110b79b..4c53c09d7b3 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/xref.el
@@ -881,6 +881,7 @@ Return an alist of the form ((FILENAME . (XREF ...)) ...)."
             (erase-buffer)
             (xref--insert-xrefs alist))
         (user-error
+         (erase-buffer)
          (insert
           (propertize
            (error-message-string err)