diff --git a/hedera-node/hapi-utils/src/main/java/com/hedera/node/app/hapi/utils/forensics/OrderedComparison.java b/hedera-node/hapi-utils/src/main/java/com/hedera/node/app/hapi/utils/forensics/OrderedComparison.java
index 571700f75c21..3b9a3d804301 100644
--- a/hedera-node/hapi-utils/src/main/java/com/hedera/node/app/hapi/utils/forensics/OrderedComparison.java
+++ b/hedera-node/hapi-utils/src/main/java/com/hedera/node/app/hapi/utils/forensics/OrderedComparison.java
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ public static List<DifferingEntries> findDifferencesBetweenV6(
     private static List<RecordStreamEntry> getNewSecondRecordStreamEntries(
             List<RecordStreamEntry> firstEntries, List<RecordStreamEntry> secondEntries) {
         List<RecordStreamEntry> ret = new ArrayList<>();
+        if (secondEntries.isEmpty()) {
+            return ret;
+        }
         RecordStreamEntry firstEntry, secondEntry;
         int secondIndex = 0;
         for (RecordStreamEntry entry : firstEntries) {