diff --git a/fs/gfs2/rgrp.c b/fs/gfs2/rgrp.c
index 5d9d93ca0db7..c056ed5c6df3 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/rgrp.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/rgrp.c
@@ -1008,6 +1008,10 @@ static int gfs2_ri_update(struct gfs2_inode *ip)
 	if (error < 0)
 		return error;
 
+	if (RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&sdp->sd_rindex_tree)) {
+		fs_err(sdp, "no resource groups found in the file system.\n");
+		return -ENOENT;
+	}
 	set_rgrp_preferences(sdp);
 
 	sdp->sd_rindex_uptodate = 1;