Index: trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/search/SearchCompilerTest.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/search/SearchCompilerTest.java	(revision 18287)
+++ trunk/test/unit/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/search/SearchCompilerTest.java	(revision 18291)
@@ -841,3 +841,13 @@
         assertThrows(SearchParseError.class, () -> SearchCompiler.compile(searchString));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Non-regression test for JOSM #21463
+     */
+    @Test
+    void testNonRegression21463() throws SearchParseError {
+        final SearchCompiler.Match c = SearchCompiler.compile("foo () () () bar");
+        assertTrue(c.match(OsmUtils.createPrimitive("node foo=bar")));
+        assertFalse(c.match(OsmUtils.createPrimitive("node name=bar")));
+    }
 }