diff --git a/src/model_io/safetensors_io.cpp b/src/model_io/safetensors_io.cpp
index d8b8dc510..c9416433f 100644
--- a/src/model_io/safetensors_io.cpp
+++ b/src/model_io/safetensors_io.cpp
@@ -308,8 +308,18 @@ bool read_safetensors_file(const std::string& file_path,
             return false;
         }
 
+        if (elements == 0) {
+            if (begin != end) {
+                set_error(error, "size mismatch for tensor '" + name + "' (" + dtype + ")");
+                return false;
+            }
+            // Avoid creating zero-byte storage for valid empty tensors.
+            continue;
+        }
+
         if (n_dims == 5) {
             n_dims = 4;
+            // partial product; full product already overflow-checked above
             ne[0]  = ne[0] * ne[1];
             ne[1]  = ne[2];
             ne[2]  = ne[3];