diff --git a/evennia/comms/managers.py b/evennia/comms/managers.py
index 8f685f4190..ff076c3181 100644
--- a/evennia/comms/managers.py
+++ b/evennia/comms/managers.py
@@ -248,25 +248,29 @@ class MsgManager(TypedObjectManager):
         # refining with multiple filter:s. Django Note: Q objects can be
         # combined with & and | (=AND,OR). ~ negates the queryset
 
-        # filter by sender
+        # filter by sender (we need __pk to avoid an error with empty Q() objects)
         sender, styp = identify_object(sender)
+        if sender:
+            spk = sender.pk
         if styp == "account":
-            sender_restrict = Q(db_sender_accounts=sender) & ~Q(db_hide_from_accounts=sender)
+            sender_restrict = Q(db_sender_accounts__pk=spk) & ~Q(db_hide_from_accounts__pk=spk)
         elif styp == "object":
-            sender_restrict = Q(db_sender_objects=sender) & ~Q(db_hide_from_objects=sender)
+            sender_restrict = Q(db_sender_objects__pk=spk) & ~Q(db_hide_from_objects__pk=spk)
         elif styp == 'script':
-            sender_restrict = Q(db_sender_scripts=sender)
+            sender_restrict = Q(db_sender_scripts__pk=spk)
         else:
             sender_restrict = Q()
         # filter by receiver
         receiver, rtyp = identify_object(receiver)
+        if receiver:
+            rpk = receiver.pk
         if rtyp == "account":
             receiver_restrict = (
-                Q(db_receivers_accounts=receiver) & ~Q(db_hide_from_accounts=receiver ))
+                Q(db_receivers_accounts__pk=rpk) & ~Q(db_hide_from_accounts__pk=rpk))
         elif rtyp == "object":
-            receiver_restrict = Q(db_receivers_objects=receiver) & ~Q(db_hide_from_objects=receiver)
+            receiver_restrict = Q(db_receivers_objects__pk=rpk) & ~Q(db_hide_from_objects__pk=rpk)
         elif rtyp == 'script':
-            receiver_restrict = Q(db_receivers_scripts=receiver)
+            receiver_restrict = Q(db_receivers_scripts__pk=rpk)
         elif rtyp == "channel":
             raise DeprecationWarning(
                 "Msg.objects.search don't accept channel recipients since "
diff --git a/evennia/utils/optionclasses.py b/evennia/utils/optionclasses.py
index 83db2af3f8..ef75824a47 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/optionclasses.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/optionclasses.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from evennia.utils.utils import crop
 from evennia.utils import validatorfuncs
 
 
-class BaseOption(object):
+class BaseOption:
     """
     Abstract Class to deal with encapsulating individual Options. An Option has
     a name/key, a description to display in relevant commands and menus, and a
diff --git a/evennia/utils/optionhandler.py b/evennia/utils/optionhandler.py
index 507785d1e4..243a0e36c4 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/optionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/optionhandler.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ _GA = object.__getattribute__
 _SA = object.__setattr__
 
 
-class InMemorySaveHandler(object):
+class InMemorySaveHandler:
     """
     Fallback SaveHandler, implementing a minimum of the required save mechanism
     and storing data in memory.
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class InMemorySaveHandler(object):
         return self.storage.get(key, default)
 
 
-class OptionHandler(object):
+class OptionHandler:
     """
     This is a generic Option handler.  Retrieve options either as properties on
     this handler or by using the .get method.
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class OptionHandler(object):
                 A common one to pass would be AttributeHandler.get.
             save_kwargs (any): Optional extra kwargs to pass into `savefunc` above.
             load_kwargs (any): Optional extra kwargs to pass into `loadfunc` above.
+
         Notes:
             Both loadfunc and savefunc must be specified. If only one is given, the other
             will be ignored and in-memory storage will be used.