diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go
index 8011485e412..82a3d2f971b 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get.go
@@ -314,11 +314,14 @@ type RuntimeSorter struct {
 }
 
 func (r *RuntimeSorter) Sort() error {
-	if len(r.objects) <= 1 {
-		// a list is only considered "sorted" if there are 0 or 1 items in it
-		// AND (if 1 item) the item is not a Table object
+	// a list is only considered "sorted" if there are 0 or 1 items in it
+	// AND (if 1 item) the item is not a Table object
+	if len(r.objects) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if len(r.objects) == 1 {
 		_, isTable := r.objects[0].(*metav1beta1.Table)
-		if len(r.objects) == 0 || !isTable {
+		if !isTable {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get_test.go
index 2c7da6967c8..9d12a895794 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get/get_test.go
@@ -560,6 +560,15 @@ func TestRuntimeSorter(t *testing.T) {
 		expect      string
 		expectError string
 	}{
+		{
+			name:  "ensure sorter works with an empty object list",
+			field: "metadata.name",
+			objs:  []runtime.Object{},
+			op: func(sorter *RuntimeSorter, objs []runtime.Object, out io.Writer) error {
+				return nil
+			},
+			expect: "",
+		},
 		{
 			name:  "ensure sorter returns original position",
 			field: "metadata.name",