diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/EnsureOnHeap.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/EnsureOnHeap.java
index d66c02c8e263..b37dfbcf37f7 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/EnsureOnHeap.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/utils/memory/EnsureOnHeap.java
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ public DecoratedKey applyToPartitionKey(DecoratedKey key)
 
         public Row applyToRow(Row row)
         {
-            if (row == null)
-                return null;
+            // If current "row" is Rows.EMPTY_STATIC_ROW, don't copy it again, as "copied_empty_static_row" != EMPTY_STATIC_ROW
+            if (row == null || row == Rows.EMPTY_STATIC_ROW)
+                return row;
             return row.clone(HeapCloner.instance);
         }