diff --git a/pkg/proxy/topology.go b/pkg/proxy/topology.go
index c91961d7cec..e30b3d5233e 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/topology.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/topology.go
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ import (
 // Serving-Terminating endpoints (independently for Cluster and Local) if no Ready
 // endpoints are available.
 func CategorizeEndpoints(endpoints []Endpoint, svcInfo ServicePort, nodeName string, nodeLabels map[string]string) (clusterEndpoints, localEndpoints, allReachableEndpoints []Endpoint, hasAnyEndpoints bool) {
+	if len(endpoints) == 0 {
+		// If there are no endpoints, we have nothing to categorize
+		return
+	}
+
 	var topologyMode string
 	var useServingTerminatingEndpoints bool
 
@@ -153,6 +158,12 @@ func CategorizeEndpoints(endpoints []Endpoint, svcInfo ServicePort, nodeName str
 //     hinted for this node's zone, then it returns "PreferSameZone".
 //   - Otherwise it returns "" (meaning, no topology / default traffic distribution).
 func topologyModeFromHints(svcInfo ServicePort, endpoints []Endpoint, nodeName, zone string) string {
+	if len(endpoints) == 0 {
+		// The code below assumes at least 1 endpoint; if there are no endpoints,
+		// there are no hints.
+		return ""
+	}
+
 	hasEndpointForNode := false
 	allEndpointsHaveNodeHints := true
 	hasEndpointForZone := false
diff --git a/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go b/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go
index 807dc513d95..ad523c23306 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go
@@ -390,6 +390,13 @@ func TestCategorizeEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 		clusterEndpoints: nil,
 		localEndpoints:   sets.New[string]("10.0.0.1:80"),
 		allEndpoints:     sets.New[string]("10.0.0.1:80"),
+	}, {
+		name:             "empty endpoints when no service endpoints exist",
+		serviceInfo:      &BaseServicePortInfo{},
+		endpoints:        nil,
+		clusterEndpoints: nil,
+		localEndpoints:   nil,
+		allEndpoints:     nil,
 	}}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
@@ -398,7 +405,7 @@ func TestCategorizeEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 
 			clusterEndpoints, localEndpoints, allEndpoints, hasAnyEndpoints := CategorizeEndpoints(tc.endpoints, tc.serviceInfo, tc.nodeName, tc.nodeLabels)
 
-			if tc.clusterEndpoints == nil && clusterEndpoints != nil {
+			if len(tc.clusterEndpoints) == 0 && len(clusterEndpoints) != 0 {
 				t.Errorf("expected no cluster endpoints but got %v", clusterEndpoints)
 			} else {
 				err := checkExpectedEndpoints(tc.clusterEndpoints, clusterEndpoints)
@@ -407,7 +414,7 @@ func TestCategorizeEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			if tc.localEndpoints == nil && localEndpoints != nil {
+			if len(tc.localEndpoints) == 0 && len(localEndpoints) != 0 {
 				t.Errorf("expected no local endpoints but got %v", localEndpoints)
 			} else {
 				err := checkExpectedEndpoints(tc.localEndpoints, localEndpoints)
@@ -417,9 +424,9 @@ func TestCategorizeEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			var expectedAllEndpoints sets.Set[string]
-			if tc.clusterEndpoints != nil && tc.localEndpoints == nil {
+			if len(tc.clusterEndpoints) != 0 && len(tc.localEndpoints) == 0 {
 				expectedAllEndpoints = tc.clusterEndpoints
-			} else if tc.localEndpoints != nil && tc.clusterEndpoints == nil {
+			} else if len(tc.localEndpoints) != 0 && len(tc.clusterEndpoints) == 0 {
 				expectedAllEndpoints = tc.localEndpoints
 			} else {
 				expectedAllEndpoints = tc.allEndpoints