diff --git a/bilby/core/sampler/emcee.py b/bilby/core/sampler/emcee.py
index db88ee5a2207f85616f081aa3ee31585c5ad2da1..a2fa4cfa9db63458731e6492a1aec60e500658c8 100644
--- a/bilby/core/sampler/emcee.py
+++ b/bilby/core/sampler/emcee.py
@@ -311,7 +311,11 @@ class Emcee(MCMCSampler):
         """
         if hasattr(self, "_sampler"):
             pass
-        elif self.resume and os.path.isfile(self.checkpoint_info.sampler_file):
+        elif (
+            self.resume and
+            os.path.isfile(self.checkpoint_info.sampler_file) and
+            os.path.getsize(self.checkpoint_info.sampler_file)
+        ):
             import dill
 
             logger.info(