diff --git a/reftable/stack.c b/reftable/stack.c
index 63976e5cea..ae274cd51c 100644
--- a/reftable/stack.c
+++ b/reftable/stack.c
@@ -1552,6 +1552,9 @@ int reftable_stack_auto_compact(struct reftable_stack *st)
 	struct segment seg;
 	uint64_t *sizes;
 
+	if (st->merged->readers_len < 2)
+		return 0;
+
 	sizes = stack_table_sizes_for_compaction(st);
 	if (!sizes)
 		return REFTABLE_OUT_OF_MEMORY_ERROR;