diff --git a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceBranchExec.scala b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceBranchExec.scala
index 08230afb5a3f..6457875b15a4 100644
--- a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceBranchExec.scala
+++ b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceBranchExec.scala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 package org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2
 
+import org.apache.iceberg.relocated.com.google.common.base.Preconditions
 import org.apache.iceberg.spark.source.SparkTable
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.InternalRow
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.Attribute
@@ -41,10 +42,17 @@ case class CreateOrReplaceBranchExec(
   override protected def run(): Seq[InternalRow] = {
     catalog.loadTable(ident) match {
       case iceberg: SparkTable =>
-        val snapshotId = branchOptions.snapshotId.getOrElse(iceberg.table.currentSnapshot().snapshotId())
+        val snapshotId: java.lang.Long = branchOptions.snapshotId
+          .orElse(Option(iceberg.table.currentSnapshot()).map(_.snapshotId()))
+          .map(java.lang.Long.valueOf)
+          .orNull
+
+        Preconditions.checkArgument(snapshotId != null,
+          "Cannot complete create or replace branch operation on %s, main has no snapshot", ident)
+
         val manageSnapshots = iceberg.table().manageSnapshots()
         if (!replace) {
-          val ref = iceberg.table().refs().get(branch);
+          val ref = iceberg.table().refs().get(branch)
           if (ref != null && ifNotExists) {
             return Nil
           }
@@ -76,6 +84,6 @@ case class CreateOrReplaceBranchExec(
   }
 
   override def simpleString(maxFields: Int): String = {
-    s"CreateOrReplace branch: ${branch} for table: ${ident.quoted}"
+    s"CreateOrReplace branch: $branch for table: ${ident.quoted}"
   }
 }
diff --git a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceTagExec.scala b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceTagExec.scala
index d41f9f03ff4c..7ca193d1b156 100644
--- a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceTagExec.scala
+++ b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/v2/CreateOrReplaceTagExec.scala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 package org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2
 
+import org.apache.iceberg.relocated.com.google.common.base.Preconditions
 import org.apache.iceberg.spark.source.SparkTable
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.InternalRow
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.Attribute
@@ -40,10 +41,17 @@ case class CreateOrReplaceTagExec(
   override protected def run(): Seq[InternalRow] = {
     catalog.loadTable(ident) match {
       case iceberg: SparkTable =>
-        val snapshotId = tagOptions.snapshotId.getOrElse(iceberg.table.currentSnapshot().snapshotId())
+        val snapshotId: java.lang.Long = tagOptions.snapshotId
+          .orElse(Option(iceberg.table.currentSnapshot()).map(_.snapshotId()))
+          .map(java.lang.Long.valueOf)
+          .orNull
+
+        Preconditions.checkArgument(snapshotId != null,
+          "Cannot complete create or replace tag operation on %s, main has no snapshot", ident)
+
         val manageSnapshot = iceberg.table.manageSnapshots()
         if (!replace) {
-          val ref = iceberg.table().refs().get(tag);
+          val ref = iceberg.table().refs().get(tag)
           if (ref != null && ifNotExists) {
             return Nil
           }
@@ -67,6 +75,6 @@ case class CreateOrReplaceTagExec(
   }
 
   override def simpleString(maxFields: Int): String = {
-    s"Create tag: ${tag} for table: ${ident.quoted}"
+    s"Create tag: $tag for table: ${ident.quoted}"
   }
 }
diff --git a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestBranchDDL.java b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestBranchDDL.java
index cc60be55ba0c..5dd8c751863a 100644
--- a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestBranchDDL.java
+++ b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestBranchDDL.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import org.apache.spark.sql.Row;
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis.NoSuchTableException;
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.parser.extensions.IcebergParseException;
+import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions;
 import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -89,6 +90,15 @@ public void testCreateBranch() throws NoSuchTableException {
         () -> sql("ALTER TABLE %s CREATE BRANCH %s", tableName, branchName));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testCreateBranchOnEmptyTable() {
+    Assertions.assertThatThrownBy(() -> sql("ALTER TABLE %s CREATE BRANCH %s", tableName, "b1"))
+        .isInstanceOf(IllegalArgumentException.class)
+        .hasMessageContaining(
+            "Cannot complete create or replace branch operation on %s, main has no snapshot",
+            tableName);
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testCreateBranchUseDefaultConfig() throws NoSuchTableException {
     Table table = insertRows();
diff --git a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestTagDDL.java b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestTagDDL.java
index 25efaaf766ea..ec3148de6cb5 100644
--- a/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestTagDDL.java
+++ b/spark/v3.4/spark-extensions/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/spark/extensions/TestTagDDL.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 import org.apache.spark.sql.Row;
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.analysis.NoSuchTableException;
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.parser.extensions.IcebergParseException;
+import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions;
 import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -119,6 +120,15 @@ public void testCreateTagWithRetain() throws NoSuchTableException {
                 tableName, tagName, firstSnapshotId, maxRefAge));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testCreateTagOnEmptyTable() {
+    Assertions.assertThatThrownBy(() -> sql("ALTER TABLE %s CREATE TAG %s", tableName, "abc"))
+        .isInstanceOf(IllegalArgumentException.class)
+        .hasMessageContaining(
+            "Cannot complete create or replace tag operation on %s, main has no snapshot",
+            tableName);
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testCreateTagUseDefaultConfig() throws NoSuchTableException {
     Table table = insertRows();