diff --git a/fastfield_codecs/src/lib.rs b/fastfield_codecs/src/lib.rs
index d57fd78fc..af621a702 100644
--- a/fastfield_codecs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/fastfield_codecs/src/lib.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ pub trait FastFieldDataAccess: Clone {
 /// The FastFieldSerializerEstimate trait is required on all variants
 /// of fast field compressions, to decide which one to choose.
 pub trait FastFieldSerializerEstimate {
-    /// returns an estimate of the compression ratio.
+    /// returns an estimate of the compression ratio. if the compressor is unable to handle the
+    /// data it needs to return f32::MAX.
     /// The baseline is uncompressed 64bit data.
     ///
     /// It could make sense to also return a value representing
diff --git a/fastfield_codecs/src/linearinterpol.rs b/fastfield_codecs/src/linearinterpol.rs
index c86a64090..af27f054f 100644
--- a/fastfield_codecs/src/linearinterpol.rs
+++ b/fastfield_codecs/src/linearinterpol.rs
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ impl FastFieldSerializerEstimate for LinearInterpolFastFieldSerializer {
     /// where the local maxima are for the deviation of the calculated value and
     /// the offset is also unknown.
     fn estimate(fastfield_accessor: &impl FastFieldDataAccess, stats: FastFieldStats) -> f32 {
-        if stats.max_value > i64::MAX as u64 / 2 {
-            return 999.0; // effectively disable compressor for this case
+        if stats.max_value > i64::MAX as u64 / 2 || stats.num_vals < 3 {
+            return f32::MAX; //disable compressor for this case
         }
         let first_val = fastfield_accessor.get(0);
         let last_val = fastfield_accessor.get(stats.num_vals as u32 - 1);