diff --git a/rag/app/naive.py b/rag/app/naive.py
index 7479b2dc32..ffd37266f4 100644
--- a/rag/app/naive.py
+++ b/rag/app/naive.py
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ class Markdown(MarkdownParser):
 
     def __call__(self, filename, binary=None, separate_tables=True, delimiter=None, return_section_images=False):
         """Parse markdown into text sections and optional standalone table chunks."""
-        if binary:
+        if binary is not None:
             encoding = find_codec(binary)
             txt = binary.decode(encoding, errors="ignore")
         else:
diff --git a/test/unit_test/rag/app/test_markdown_image_ssrf.py b/test/unit_test/rag/app/test_markdown_image_ssrf.py
index 2c3d2d119f..f738421d23 100644
--- a/test/unit_test/rag/app/test_markdown_image_ssrf.py
+++ b/test/unit_test/rag/app/test_markdown_image_ssrf.py
@@ -91,6 +91,21 @@ def parser(naive_module):
     return naive_module.Markdown(128)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.p1
+def test_parses_empty_binary_without_opening_filename(parser):
+    with patch("builtins.open") as open_file:
+        sections, tables, section_images = parser(
+            "empty-document.md",
+            binary=b"",
+            return_section_images=True,
+        )
+
+    open_file.assert_not_called()
+    assert sections == []
+    assert tables == []
+    assert section_images == []
+
+
 @pytest.mark.p1
 def test_blocks_internal_url_without_fetching(parser):
     """A markdown image pointing at an internal host must never be requested."""