diff --git a/web/src/invite_stream_picker_pill.ts b/web/src/invite_stream_picker_pill.ts
index 07a5116f5f..39277c61c9 100644
--- a/web/src/invite_stream_picker_pill.ts
+++ b/web/src/invite_stream_picker_pill.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ function create_item_from_stream_name(
 function set_up_pill_typeahead({pill_widget, $pill_container}: SetUpPillTypeaheadConfig): void {
     const opts = {
         help_on_empty_strings: true,
+        hide_on_empty_after_backspace: true,
         invite_streams: true,
     };
     set_up_stream($pill_container.find(".input"), pill_widget, opts);
diff --git a/web/src/pill_typeahead.ts b/web/src/pill_typeahead.ts
index 9ed7522b12..e9cb88ce14 100644
--- a/web/src/pill_typeahead.ts
+++ b/web/src/pill_typeahead.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export function set_up_stream(
     pills: StreamPillWidget,
     opts: {
         help_on_empty_strings?: boolean;
+        hide_on_empty_after_backspace?: boolean;
         invite_streams?: boolean;
         update_func?: () => void;
     },
@@ -85,9 +86,11 @@ export function set_up_stream(
         type: "contenteditable",
     };
     opts.help_on_empty_strings ??= false;
+    opts.hide_on_empty_after_backspace ??= false;
     new Typeahead(bootstrap_typeahead_input, {
         dropup: true,
         helpOnEmptyStrings: opts.help_on_empty_strings,
+        hideOnEmptyAfterBackspace: opts.hide_on_empty_after_backspace,
         source(_query: string): StreamPillData[] {
             return stream_pill.typeahead_source(pills, opts.invite_streams);
         },