diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2524f41..39886fc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## 4.3.1 (unreleased)
+
+- Fixed error with `exclude` in certain cases for Elasticsearch 7.7
+
 ## 4.3.0 (2020-02-19)
 
 - Fixed `like` queries with `"` character
diff --git a/lib/searchkick/query.rb b/lib/searchkick/query.rb
index 2320d47..30f2959 100644
--- a/lib/searchkick/query.rb
+++ b/lib/searchkick/query.rb
@@ -574,7 +574,8 @@ module Searchkick
 
     def build_query(query, filters, should, must_not, custom_filters, multiply_filters)
       if filters.any? || must_not.any? || should.any?
-        bool = {must: query}
+        bool = {}
+        bool[:must] = query if query
         bool[:filter] = filters if filters.any?      # where
         bool[:must_not] = must_not if must_not.any?  # exclude
         bool[:should] = should if should.any?        # conversions
--
libgit2 0.21.0