diff --git a/bilby/core/sampler/kombine.py b/bilby/core/sampler/kombine.py
index bda7c6d4f06686bf48c142acf726a145da05c760..e3aef85abf0b17d5e6ab74bb4edbdf567fabb4ae 100644
--- a/bilby/core/sampler/kombine.py
+++ b/bilby/core/sampler/kombine.py
@@ -166,7 +166,11 @@ class Kombine(Emcee):
         return self.sampler.chain[:nsteps, :, :]
 
     def check_resume(self):
-        return self.resume and os.path.isfile(self.checkpoint_info.sampler_file)
+        return (
+            self.resume and
+            os.path.isfile(self.checkpoint_info.sampler_file) and
+            os.path.getsize(self.checkpoint_info.sampler_file) > 0
+        )
 
     @signal_wrapper
     def run_sampler(self):