diff --git a/src/backend/columnar/cstore_customscan.c b/src/backend/columnar/cstore_customscan.c
index a42d9842e..e1dfee2ac 100644
--- a/src/backend/columnar/cstore_customscan.c
+++ b/src/backend/columnar/cstore_customscan.c
@@ -242,7 +242,18 @@ ColumnarScanCost(RangeTblEntry *rte)
 	{
 		Bitmapset *attr_needed = rte->selectedCols;
 		double numberOfColumnsRead = bms_num_members(attr_needed);
-		double selectionRatio = numberOfColumnsRead / (double) maxColumnCount;
+		double selectionRatio = 0;
+
+		/*
+		 * When no stripes are in the table we don't have a count in maxColumnCount. To
+		 * prevent a division by zero turning into a NaN we keep the ratio on zero.
+		 * This will result in a cost of 0 for scanning the table which is a reasonable
+		 * cost on an empty table.
+		 */
+		if (maxColumnCount != 0)
+		{
+			selectionRatio = numberOfColumnsRead / (double) maxColumnCount;
+		}
 		Cost scanCost = (double) totalStripeSize / BLCKSZ * selectionRatio;
 		return scanCost;
 	}
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/am_empty.out b/src/test/regress/expected/am_empty.out
index 2473cb8ce..d17b11184 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/am_empty.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/am_empty.out
@@ -94,6 +94,19 @@ truncate t_compressed;
 -- alter type
 alter table t_uncompressed alter column a type text;
 alter table t_compressed alter column a type text;
+-- verify cost of scanning an empty table is zero, not NaN
+explain table t_uncompressed;
+                                   QUERY PLAN
+---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Custom Scan (ColumnarScan) on t_uncompressed  (cost=0.00..0.00 rows=1 width=32)
+(1 row)
+
+explain table t_compressed;
+                                  QUERY PLAN
+---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Custom Scan (ColumnarScan) on t_compressed  (cost=0.00..0.00 rows=1 width=32)
+(1 row)
+
 -- drop
 drop table t_compressed;
 drop table t_uncompressed;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/am_empty.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/am_empty.sql
index 9e698676f..01e73c6f6 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/am_empty.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/am_empty.sql
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ truncate t_compressed;
 alter table t_uncompressed alter column a type text;
 alter table t_compressed alter column a type text;
 
+-- verify cost of scanning an empty table is zero, not NaN
+explain table t_uncompressed;
+explain table t_compressed;
+
 -- drop
 drop table t_compressed;
 drop table t_uncompressed;