diff --git a/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/streamed.py b/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/streamed.py
index 4e989e29cb72..bf154af849b5 100644
--- a/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/streamed.py
+++ b/spanner/google/cloud/spanner_v1/streamed.py
@@ -256,6 +256,12 @@ def _merge_array(lhs, rhs, type_):
         lhs.list_value.values.extend(rhs.list_value.values)
         return lhs
     lhs, rhs = list(lhs.list_value.values), list(rhs.list_value.values)
+
+    # Sanity check: If either list is empty, short-circuit.
+    # This is effectively a no-op.
+    if not len(lhs) or not len(rhs):
+        return Value(list_value=ListValue(values=(lhs + rhs)))
+
     first = rhs.pop(0)
     if first.HasField('null_value'):  # can't merge
         lhs.append(first)
diff --git a/spanner/tests/unit/test_streamed.py b/spanner/tests/unit/test_streamed.py
index 4ab5dbc18d48..408e272c9064 100644
--- a/spanner/tests/unit/test_streamed.py
+++ b/spanner/tests/unit/test_streamed.py
@@ -314,6 +314,22 @@ def test__merge_chunk_array_of_float(self):
         self.assertEqual(merged, expected)
         self.assertIsNone(streamed._pending_chunk)
 
+    def test__merge_chunk_array_of_string_with_empty(self):
+        iterator = _MockCancellableIterator()
+        streamed = self._make_one(iterator)
+        FIELDS = [
+            self._make_array_field('name', element_type_code='STRING'),
+        ]
+        streamed._metadata = self._make_result_set_metadata(FIELDS)
+        streamed._pending_chunk = self._make_list_value([u'A', u'B', u'C'])
+        chunk = self._make_list_value([])
+
+        merged = streamed._merge_chunk(chunk)
+
+        expected = self._make_list_value([u'A', u'B', u'C'])
+        self.assertEqual(merged, expected)
+        self.assertIsNone(streamed._pending_chunk)
+
     def test__merge_chunk_array_of_string(self):
         iterator = _MockCancellableIterator()
         streamed = self._make_one(iterator)