diff --git a/weed/filer/filechunks.go b/weed/filer/filechunks.go
index 3a61ed3b5..835c717f6 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filechunks.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filechunks.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ func CompactFileChunks(ctx context.Context, lookupFileIdFn wdclient.LookupFileId
 }
 
 func SeparateGarbageChunks(visibles *IntervalList[*VisibleInterval], chunks []*filer_pb.FileChunk) (compacted []*filer_pb.FileChunk, garbage []*filer_pb.FileChunk) {
+	if visibles == nil {
+		return chunks, nil
+	}
 	fileIds := make(map[string]bool)
 	for x := visibles.Front(); x != nil; x = x.Next {
 		interval := x.Value
@@ -225,6 +228,9 @@ func ViewFromVisibleIntervals(visibles *IntervalList[*VisibleInterval], offset i
 	}
 
 	chunkViews = NewIntervalList[*ChunkView]()
+	if visibles == nil {
+		return chunkViews
+	}
 	for x := visibles.Front(); x != nil; x = x.Next {
 		chunk := x.Value
 
diff --git a/weed/filer/filechunks_test.go b/weed/filer/filechunks_test.go
index 716e077a3..81eed9607 100644
--- a/weed/filer/filechunks_test.go
+++ b/weed/filer/filechunks_test.go
@@ -583,3 +583,36 @@ func TestCompactFileChunks3(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected compacted: %d", len(compacted))
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSeparateGarbageChunksNilVisibles(t *testing.T) {
+	chunks := []*filer_pb.FileChunk{
+		{Offset: 10, Size: 100, FileId: "abc", ModifiedTsNs: 50},
+	}
+	compacted, garbage := SeparateGarbageChunks(nil, chunks)
+	if len(compacted) != 1 || len(garbage) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected fallback to original chunks with nil garbage")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestViewFromVisibleIntervalsNilVisibles(t *testing.T) {
+	views := ViewFromVisibleIntervals(nil, 0, 100)
+	if views == nil || views.Front() != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected empty interval list")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestViewFromChunksPropagatesError(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	cancel()
+
+	chunks := []*filer_pb.FileChunk{
+		{Offset: 0, Size: 100, FileId: "abc", ModifiedTsNs: 50, IsChunkManifest: true},
+	}
+	views, err := ViewFromChunks(ctx, nil, chunks, 0, math.MaxInt64)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error on cancelled context")
+	}
+	if views != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected nil views on error, got %v", views)
+	}
+}