diff --git a/beetsplug/beatport.py b/beetsplug/beatport.py
index c07cce72fe..d8a6460e82 100644
--- a/beetsplug/beatport.py
+++ b/beetsplug/beatport.py
@@ -457,6 +457,16 @@ def _get_releases(self, query: str) -> Iterator[AlbumInfo]:
         # Strip medium information from query, Things like "CD1" and "disk 1"
         # can also negate an otherwise positive result.
         query = re.sub(r"\b(CD|disc)\s*\d+", "", query, flags=re.I)
+
+        # query may be empty strings
+        # We want to skip the lookup in this case.
+        if not query.strip():
+            self._log.debug(
+                "Empty search query after preprocessing, skipping {.data_source}.",
+                self,
+            )
+            return
+
         for beatport_release in self.client.search(query, "release"):
             if beatport_release is None:
                 continue
@@ -522,8 +532,18 @@ def _get_artist(self, artists):
         """
         return self.get_artist(artists=artists, id_key=0, name_key=1)
 
-    def _get_tracks(self, query):
+    def _get_tracks(self, query: str):
         """Returns a list of TrackInfo objects for a Beatport query."""
+
+        # query may be empty strings
+        # We want to skip the lookup in this case.
+        if not query.strip():
+            self._log.debug(
+                "Empty search query after preprocessing, skipping {.data_source}.",
+                self,
+            )
+            return []
+
         bp_tracks = self.client.search(query, release_type="track")
         tracks = [self._get_track_info(x) for x in bp_tracks]
         return tracks
diff --git a/beetsplug/discogs.py b/beetsplug/discogs.py
index be1cf97fab..8d4d4d432e 100644
--- a/beetsplug/discogs.py
+++ b/beetsplug/discogs.py
@@ -231,7 +231,10 @@ def get_track_from_album(
         return track_info
 
     def item_candidates(
-        self, item: Item, artist: str, title: str
+        self,
+        item: Item,
+        artist: str,
+        title: str,
     ) -> Iterable[TrackInfo]:
         albums = self.candidates([item], artist, title, False)
 
@@ -291,6 +294,15 @@ def get_albums(self, query: str) -> Iterable[AlbumInfo]:
         # can also negate an otherwise positive result.
         query = re.sub(r"(?i)\b(CD|disc|vinyl)\s*\d+", "", query)
 
+        # query may be empty strings
+        # We want to skip the lookup in this case.
+        if not query.strip():
+            self._log.debug(
+                "Empty search query after preprocessing, skipping {.data_source}.",
+                self,
+            )
+            return []
+
         try:
             results = self.discogs_client.search(query, type="release")
             results.per_page = self.config["search_limit"].get()
diff --git a/beetsplug/musicbrainz.py b/beetsplug/musicbrainz.py
index 8e259e94b9..2335ae757a 100644
--- a/beetsplug/musicbrainz.py
+++ b/beetsplug/musicbrainz.py
@@ -807,6 +807,11 @@ def _search_api(
         self._log.debug(
             "Searching for MusicBrainz {}s with: {!r}", query_type, filters
         )
+
+        if not filters:
+            self._log.debug("No valid filters provided, skipping search.")
+            return []
+
         try:
             method = getattr(musicbrainzngs, f"search_{query_type}s")
             res = method(limit=self.config["search_limit"].get(), **filters)
diff --git a/beetsplug/spotify.py b/beetsplug/spotify.py
index 7cb9e330d5..2dfa7bedf9 100644
--- a/beetsplug/spotify.py
+++ b/beetsplug/spotify.py
@@ -434,6 +434,13 @@ def _search_api(
             filters=filters, query_string=query_string
         )
 
+        if not query.strip():
+            self._log.debug(
+                "Empty search query after applying filters, skipping {.data_source}.",
+                self,
+            )
+            return []
+
         self._log.debug("Searching {.data_source} for '{}'", self, query)
         try:
             response = self._handle_response(
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index d7383abd33..fa68156aa0 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ New features:
 
 Bug fixes:
 
+- :doc:`plugins/discogs`, :doc:`plugins/beatport`, :doc:`plugins/spotify`,
+  :doc:`plugins/musicbrainz`: Fix an issue where no metadata in a file would
+  crash the import process :bug:`6060`
+
 For packagers:
 
 Other changes: