diff --git a/src/core/support/histogram.c b/src/core/support/histogram.c
index 673affde713..d16ea6c3f7e 100644
--- a/src/core/support/histogram.c
+++ b/src/core/support/histogram.c
@@ -164,7 +164,9 @@ static double threshold_for_count_below(gpr_histogram *h, double count_below) {
   size_t lower_idx;
   size_t upper_idx;
 
-  GPR_ASSERT(h->count >= 1);
+  if (h->count == 0) {
+    return 0.0;
+  }
 
   if (count_below <= 0) {
     return h->min_seen;