diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/rerankers/mrr.py b/python/python/lancedb/rerankers/mrr.py
index e2d5d1a97..af5ce778d 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/rerankers/mrr.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/rerankers/mrr.py
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ class MRRReranker(Reranker):
         This cannot reuse rerank_hybrid because MRR semantics require treating
         each vector result as a separate ranking system.
         """
+        if not vector_results:
+            raise ValueError("vector_results must not be empty")
+
         if not all(isinstance(v, type(vector_results[0])) for v in vector_results):
             raise ValueError(
                 "All elements in vector_results should be of the same type"
diff --git a/python/python/tests/test_rerankers.py b/python/python/tests/test_rerankers.py
index c886772bb..5ab24be5d 100644
--- a/python/python/tests/test_rerankers.py
+++ b/python/python/tests/test_rerankers.py
@@ -344,6 +344,12 @@ def test_mrr_reranker(tmp_path):
     assert len(result_deduped) == len(result)
 
 
+def test_mrr_reranker_empty_input():
+    reranker = MRRReranker()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must not be empty"):
+        reranker.rerank_multivector([])
+
+
 def test_rrf_reranker_distance():
     data = pa.table(
         {