diff --git a/floss/main.py b/floss/main.py
index 326deaa11..3e23d868b 100644
--- a/floss/main.py
+++ b/floss/main.py
@@ -537,7 +537,11 @@ def main(argv=None) -> int:
     # can throw away result later if not desired in output
     time0 = time()
     interim = time0
+
     static_strings = get_static_strings(sample, args.min_length)
+    if static_strings == []:
+        return 0
+
     static_runtime = get_runtime_diff(interim)
 
     lang_id = identify_language(sample, static_strings)
diff --git a/floss/utils.py b/floss/utils.py
index 106476804..895bd7c95 100644
--- a/floss/utils.py
+++ b/floss/utils.py
@@ -541,6 +541,11 @@ def get_static_strings(sample: Path, min_length: int) -> list:
     """
     Returns list of static strings from the file which are above the minimum length
     """
+
+    if sample.stat().st_size == 0:
+        logger.warning("File is empty")
+        return []
+
     with sample.open("r") as f:
         if hasattr(mmap, "MAP_PRIVATE"):
             # unix