diff --git a/promisor-remote.c b/promisor-remote.c
index 9bc296cdde..9bd5b79d59 100644
--- a/promisor-remote.c
+++ b/promisor-remote.c
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ static struct promisor_remote *promisor_remote_lookup(const char *remote_name,
 static void promisor_remote_move_to_tail(struct promisor_remote *r,
 					 struct promisor_remote *previous)
 {
+	if (r->next == NULL)
+		return;
+
 	if (previous)
 		previous->next = r->next;
 	else
diff --git a/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh b/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh
index 2498e72a34..c5b2018a30 100755
--- a/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh
+++ b/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh
@@ -429,6 +429,19 @@ test_expect_success 'rev-list dies for missing objects on cmd line' '
 	done
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'single promisor remote can be re-initialized gracefully' '
+	# ensure one promisor is in the promisors list
+	rm -rf repo &&
+	test_create_repo repo &&
+	test_create_repo other &&
+	git -C repo remote add foo "file://$(pwd)/other" &&
+	git -C repo config remote.foo.promisor true &&
+	git -C repo config extensions.partialclone foo &&
+
+	# reinitialize the promisors list
+	git -C repo fetch --filter=blob:none foo
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'gc repacks promisor objects separately from non-promisor objects' '
 	rm -rf repo &&
 	test_create_repo repo &&