diff --git a/src/systems/pose_publisher/PosePublisher.cc b/src/systems/pose_publisher/PosePublisher.cc
index 4eda6045c8..f2243cc19d 100644
--- a/src/systems/pose_publisher/PosePublisher.cc
+++ b/src/systems/pose_publisher/PosePublisher.cc
@@ -527,6 +527,9 @@ void PosePublisherPrivate::PublishPoses(
 {
   GZ_PROFILE("PosePublisher::PublishPoses");
 
+  if (_poses.empty())
+    return;
+
   // publish poses
   msgs::Pose *msg = nullptr;
   if (this->usePoseV)