diff --git a/C4/Circulation.pm b/C4/Circulation.pm
index 8ff7ec89db..c0be372db8 100644
--- a/C4/Circulation.pm
+++ b/C4/Circulation.pm
@@ -2962,7 +2962,7 @@ sub CanBookBeRenewed {
             notforloan   => 0,
             -not         => { itemnumber => $itemnumber } })->as_list;
 
-        return ( 0, "on_reserve" ) if scalar @other_items < scalar @possible_holds;
+        return ( 0, "on_reserve" ) if @possible_holds && (scalar @other_items < scalar @possible_holds);
 
         my %matched_items;
         foreach my $possible_hold (@possible_holds) {