diff --git a/src/wp-admin/js/customize-controls.js b/src/wp-admin/js/customize-controls.js
index 4f04de4c0f..f8a64dc2dd 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/js/customize-controls.js
+++ b/src/wp-admin/js/customize-controls.js
@@ -584,6 +584,21 @@
 			});
 		},
 
+		/**
+		 * Override Section.isContextuallyActive method.
+		 *
+		 * Ignore the active states' of the contained theme controls, and just
+		 * use the section's own active state instead. This ensures empty search
+		 * results for themes to cause the section to become inactive.
+		 *
+		 * @since 4.2.0
+		 *
+		 * @returns {Boolean}
+		 */
+		isContextuallyActive: function () {
+			return this.active();
+		},
+
 		/**
 		 * @since 4.2.0
 		 */