diff --git a/evennia/commands/cmdparser.py b/evennia/commands/cmdparser.py
index 56b702d8c1..72040472e4 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/cmdparser.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/cmdparser.py
@@ -209,10 +209,15 @@ def cmdparser(raw_string, cmdset, caller, match_index=None):
         quality = [mat[4] for mat in matches]
         matches = matches[-quality.count(quality[-1]) :]
 
-    if len(matches) > 1 and match_index is not None and 0 < match_index <= len(matches):
+    if len(matches) > 1 and match_index is not None:
         # We couldn't separate match by quality, but we have an
         # index argument to tell us which match to use.
-        matches = [matches[match_index - 1]]
+        if 0 < match_index <= len(matches):
+            matches = [matches[match_index - 1]]
+        else:
+            # we tried to give an index outside of the range - this means
+            # a no-match
+            matches = []
 
     # no matter what we have at this point, we have to return it.
     return matches
diff --git a/evennia/objects/manager.py b/evennia/objects/manager.py
index d29ca9a739..0a3dbc90fa 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/manager.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/manager.py
@@ -466,7 +466,6 @@ class ObjectDBManager(TypedObjectManager):
                 # strips the number
                 match_number, searchdata = match.group("number"), match.group("name")
                 match_number = int(match_number) - 1
-                match_number = match_number if match_number >= 0 else None
             if match_number is not None or not exact:
                 # run search again, with the exactness set by call
                 matches = _searcher(searchdata, candidates, typeclass, exact=exact)
@@ -474,11 +473,13 @@ class ObjectDBManager(TypedObjectManager):
         # deal with result
         if len(matches) > 1 and match_number is not None:
             # multiple matches, but a number was given to separate them
-            try:
+            if 0 <= match_number < len(matches):
+                # limit to one match
                 matches = [matches[match_number]]
-            except IndexError:
-                # match number not matching anything
-                pass
+            else:
+                # a number was given outside of range. This means a no-match.
+                matches = []
+
         # return a list (possibly empty)
         return matches
 
diff --git a/evennia/objects/objects.py b/evennia/objects/objects.py
index 542a89997b..8b66bce8f8 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/objects.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/objects.py
@@ -389,7 +389,8 @@ class DefaultObject(ObjectDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
                    a global search.
                 - `me,self`: self-reference to this object
                 - `<num>-<string>` - can be used to differentiate
-                   between multiple same-named matches
+                   between multiple same-named matches. The exact form of this input
+                   is given by `settings.SEARCH_MULTIMATCH_REGEX`.
             global_search (bool): Search all objects globally. This overrules 'location' data.
             use_nicks (bool): Use nickname-replace (nicktype "object") on `searchdata`.
             typeclass (str or Typeclass, or list of either): Limit search only
diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py b/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py
index 70a3b815ef..821e96aa24 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/telnet.py
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ class TelnetProtocol(Telnet, StatefulTelnetProtocol, Session):
             super().dataReceived(data)
         except ValueError as err:
             from evennia.utils import logger
-
             logger.log_err(f"Malformed telnet input: {err}")
 
     def connectionMade(self):