diff --git a/db/db_encryption_test.cc b/db/db_encryption_test.cc
index 4ddc11986..bc7274465 100644
--- a/db/db_encryption_test.cc
+++ b/db/db_encryption_test.cc
@@ -83,6 +83,34 @@ TEST_F(DBEncryptionTest, CheckEncrypted) {
   }
 }
 
+TEST_F(DBEncryptionTest, ReadEmptyFile) {
+  auto defaultEnv = Env::Default();
+
+  // create empty file for reading it back in later
+  auto envOptions = EnvOptions(CurrentOptions());
+  auto filePath = dbname_ + "/empty.empty";
+
+  Status status;
+  {
+    std::unique_ptr<WritableFile> writableFile;
+    status = defaultEnv->NewWritableFile(filePath, &writableFile, envOptions);
+    ASSERT_OK(status);
+  }
+
+  std::unique_ptr<SequentialFile> seqFile;
+  status = defaultEnv->NewSequentialFile(filePath, &seqFile, envOptions);
+  ASSERT_OK(status);
+
+  std::string scratch;
+  Slice data;
+  // reading back 16 bytes from the empty file shouldn't trigger an assertion.
+  // it should just work and return an empty string
+  status = seqFile->Read(16, &data, (char*)scratch.data());
+  ASSERT_OK(status);
+
+  ASSERT_TRUE(data.empty());
+}
+
 #endif // ROCKSDB_LITE
 
 }  // namespace rocksdb
diff --git a/env/env_encryption.cc b/env/env_encryption.cc
index 6be2137ed..b7095c0f5 100644
--- a/env/env_encryption.cc
+++ b/env/env_encryption.cc
@@ -745,8 +745,6 @@ Status BlockAccessCipherStream::Decrypt(uint64_t fileOffset, char *data, size_t
   std::string scratch;
   AllocateScratch(scratch);
 
-  assert(fileOffset < dataSize);
-
   // Decrypt individual blocks.
   while (1) {
     char *block = data;