diff --git a/pytato/codegen.py b/pytato/codegen.py
index 496b1766bea9d02a88f9f3920eab3490b69dd534..fe9075abfa51df2b4c3dfdf8404b9e47b6b487af 100644
--- a/pytato/codegen.py
+++ b/pytato/codegen.py
@@ -639,7 +639,13 @@ def domain_for_shape(dim_names: Tuple[str, ...],
         dom &= aff_from_expr(dom.space, left).le_set(affs[iname])
         dom &= affs[iname].lt_set(aff_from_expr(dom.space, right))
 
-    dom, = dom.get_basic_sets()
+    doms = dom.get_basic_sets()
+
+    if len(doms) == 0:
+        # empty set
+        dom = isl.BasicSet.empty(dom.get_space())
+    else:
+        dom, = doms
 
     return dom
 
diff --git a/test/test_pytato.py b/test/test_pytato.py
index 76e11efaee25c8c77e915644e45c0842b6b62e0f..1923807b0cd9835904a31fe0045153ab96a7a249 100755
--- a/test/test_pytato.py
+++ b/test/test_pytato.py
@@ -125,6 +125,17 @@ def test_make_placeholder_noname():
     assert x.name in knl.get_read_variables()
 
 
+def test_zero_length_arrays():
+    ns = pt.Namespace()
+    x = pt.make_placeholder(ns, shape=(0, 4), dtype=float)
+    y = 2*x
+
+    assert y.shape == (0, 4)
+
+    knl = pt.generate_loopy(y).program
+    assert all(dom.is_empty() for dom in knl.domains if dom.total_dim() != 0)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     if len(sys.argv) > 1:
         exec(sys.argv[1])