diff --git a/ibm_vpd_app.cpp b/ibm_vpd_app.cpp
index b5ca5fd..7eddeba 100644
--- a/ibm_vpd_app.cpp
+++ b/ibm_vpd_app.cpp
@@ -994,6 +994,13 @@
 
         try
         {
+            // check if vpd file is empty
+            if (file.empty())
+            {
+                throw(VpdDataException(
+                    "VPD file is empty. Can't process with blank file."));
+            }
+
             Binary vpdVector = getVpdDataInVector(js, file);
             ParserInterface* parser = ParserFactory::getParser(move(vpdVector));
 
@@ -1053,4 +1060,4 @@
     }
 
     return rc;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file