diff --git a/src/tsdb/src/tsdbFile.c b/src/tsdb/src/tsdbFile.c
index 0c1b9e314e..b1228b0230 100644
--- a/src/tsdb/src/tsdbFile.c
+++ b/src/tsdb/src/tsdbFile.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ void tsdbFitRetention(STsdbRepo *pRepo) {
   int mfid =
       tsdbGetKeyFileId(taosGetTimestamp(pRepo->config.precision), pRepo->config.daysPerFile, pRepo->config.precision);
 
-  while (pGroup[0].fileId < mfid) {
+  while (pFileH->numOfFGroups > 0 && pGroup[0].fileId < mfid) {
     tsdbRemoveFileGroup(pFileH, pGroup[0].fileId);
   }
 }