diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9e944f669..2bd243a74 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ telegram.jpg
 
 # virtual env
 venv*
+pyvenv.cfg
+Scripts/
 
 # environment manager:
 .mise.toml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/AUTHORS.rst b/AUTHORS.rst
index 615353979..d5e7b1a0c 100644
--- a/AUTHORS.rst
+++ b/AUTHORS.rst
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ The following wonderful people contributed directly or indirectly to this projec
 - `Kirill Vasin <https://github.com/vasinkd>`_
 - `Kjwon15 <https://github.com/kjwon15>`_
 - `Li-aung Yip <https://github.com/LiaungYip>`_
+- `locobott <https://github.com/locobott>`_
 - `Loo Zheng Yuan <https://github.com/loozhengyuan>`_
 - `LRezende <https://github.com/lrezende>`_
 - `Luca Bellanti <https://github.com/Trifase>`_
diff --git a/changes/unreleased/4817.ZHx38jvj9zKRNZfQh9Xrpb.toml b/changes/unreleased/4817.ZHx38jvj9zKRNZfQh9Xrpb.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31e63a6a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/unreleased/4817.ZHx38jvj9zKRNZfQh9Xrpb.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+bugfixes = "Allow for pattern matching empty inline queries"
+[[pull_requests]]
+uid = "4817"
+author_uid = "locobott"
+closes_threads = []
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/telegram/ext/_handlers/inlinequeryhandler.py b/src/telegram/ext/_handlers/inlinequeryhandler.py
index 0285d259c..3e7b7c4d4 100644
--- a/src/telegram/ext/_handlers/inlinequeryhandler.py
+++ b/src/telegram/ext/_handlers/inlinequeryhandler.py
@@ -118,11 +118,7 @@ class InlineQueryHandler(BaseHandler[Update, CCT, RT]):
                 update.inline_query.chat_type not in self.chat_types
             ):
                 return False
-            if (
-                self.pattern
-                and update.inline_query.query
-                and (match := re.match(self.pattern, update.inline_query.query))
-            ):
+            if self.pattern and (match := re.match(self.pattern, update.inline_query.query)):
                 return match
             if not self.pattern:
                 return True
diff --git a/tests/ext/test_inlinequeryhandler.py b/tests/ext/test_inlinequeryhandler.py
index 24aa69f01..cd20e1aec 100644
--- a/tests/ext/test_inlinequeryhandler.py
+++ b/tests/ext/test_inlinequeryhandler.py
@@ -152,6 +152,28 @@ class TestInlineQueryHandler:
             update.inline_query.query = "not_a_match"
             assert not handler.check_update(update)
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        ("query", "expected_result"),
+        [
+            pytest.param("", True, id="empty string"),
+            pytest.param("not empty", False, id="non_empty_string"),
+        ],
+    )
+    async def test_empty_inline_query_pattern(self, app, query, expected_result):
+        handler = InlineQueryHandler(self.callback, pattern=r"^$")
+        app.add_handler(handler)
+
+        update = Update(
+            update_id=0,
+            inline_query=InlineQuery(
+                id="id", from_user=User(1, "test", False), query=query, offset=""
+            ),
+        )
+
+        async with app:
+            await app.process_update(update)
+        assert self.test_flag == expected_result
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("chat_types", [[Chat.SENDER], [Chat.SENDER, Chat.SUPERGROUP], []])
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("chat_type", "result"), [(Chat.SENDER, True), (Chat.CHANNEL, False), (None, False)]