diff --git a/storage/merge_test.go b/storage/merge_test.go
index dae338a004..488edb2e60 100644
--- a/storage/merge_test.go
+++ b/storage/merge_test.go
@@ -1504,6 +1504,25 @@ func TestMergeQuerierWithSecondaries_ErrorHandling(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expectedErrs: [4]error{errStorage, errStorage, errStorage, errStorage},
 		},
+		{
+			name:      "nil primary querier with failed secondary",
+			primaries: nil,
+			secondaries: []Querier{
+				&mockQuerier{resp: []string{"b"}, warnings: nil, err: errStorage},
+			},
+			expectedLabels:   []string{},
+			expectedWarnings: annotations.New().Add(errStorage),
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "nil primary querier with two failed secondaries",
+			primaries: nil,
+			secondaries: []Querier{
+				&mockQuerier{resp: []string{"b"}, warnings: nil, err: errStorage},
+				&mockQuerier{resp: []string{"c"}, warnings: nil, err: errStorage},
+			},
+			expectedLabels:   []string{},
+			expectedWarnings: annotations.New().Add(errStorage),
+		},
 		{
 			name: "one successful primary querier with failed secondaries",
 			primaries: []Querier{