diff --git a/src/backend/commands/indexcmds.c b/src/backend/commands/indexcmds.c
index ca24620fd0..7d5966bf9c 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/indexcmds.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/indexcmds.c
@@ -1169,9 +1169,9 @@ DefineIndex(Oid relationId,
 		 *
 		 * If we're called internally (no stmt->relation), recurse always.
 		 */
-		if (!stmt->relation || stmt->relation->inh)
+		PartitionDesc partdesc = RelationGetPartitionDesc(rel);
+		if ((!stmt->relation || stmt->relation->inh) && partdesc->nparts > 0)
 		{
-			PartitionDesc partdesc = RelationGetPartitionDesc(rel);
 			int			nparts = partdesc->nparts;
 			Oid		   *part_oids = palloc(sizeof(Oid) * nparts);
 			bool		invalidate_parent = false;