diff --git a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/engine/sqlengine.go b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/engine/sqlengine.go
index 103f082fc69..5584efef4c5 100644
--- a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/engine/sqlengine.go
+++ b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/engine/sqlengine.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package engine
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ func NewSqlEngine(
 	// configuring stats depends on sessionBuilder
 	// sessionBuilder needs ref to statsProv
 	if err = statsPro.Configure(ctx, sqlEngine.NewDefaultContext, bThreads, pro, dbs); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		fmt.Fprintln(cli.CliErr, err)
 	}
 
 	// Load MySQL Db information
diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/stats/stats_provider.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/stats/stats_provider.go
index f49b5ad9041..55d408b3ed4 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/stats/stats_provider.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/stats/stats_provider.go
@@ -359,6 +359,11 @@ func (p *Provider) Load(ctx *sql.Context, dbs []dsess.SqlDatabase) error {
 			} else if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			if cnt, err := m.Count(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			} else if cnt == 0 {
+				return nil
+			}
 			stats, err := loadStats(ctx, db, m)
 			if errors.Is(err, dtables.ErrIncompatibleVersion) {
 				ctx.Warn(0, err.Error())