diff --git a/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/nixl/conn.py b/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/nixl/conn.py
index 5fbbef59f8c3..173308cf0c3d 100644
--- a/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/nixl/conn.py
+++ b/python/sglang/srt/disaggregation/nixl/conn.py
@@ -688,21 +688,24 @@ def transfer_worker(self, queue: FastQueue, staging_buffer=None):
 
                         handles.append(kv_xfer_handle)
 
-                    if kv_chunk.is_last and kv_chunk.state_indices:
+                    if kv_chunk.is_last:
                         dst_info = self.decode_kv_args_table[req.agent_name]
-                        state_xfer_handles = self.maybe_send_extra(
-                            req.agent_name,
-                            kv_chunk.state_indices,
-                            dst_info.dst_state_data_ptrs,
-                            req.dst_state_indices,
-                            dst_info.gpu_id,
-                            f"{req.room}_state_{self.kv_args.engine_rank}",
-                            decode_tp_size,
-                            decode_tp_rank=dst_info.decode_tp_rank,
-                            dst_state_item_lens=dst_info.dst_state_item_lens,
-                            dst_state_dim_per_tensor=dst_info.dst_state_dim_per_tensor,
-                        )
-                        handles.extend(h for h in state_xfer_handles if h is not None)
+                        if kv_chunk.state_indices:
+                            state_xfer_handles = self.maybe_send_extra(
+                                req.agent_name,
+                                kv_chunk.state_indices,
+                                dst_info.dst_state_data_ptrs,
+                                req.dst_state_indices,
+                                dst_info.gpu_id,
+                                f"{req.room}_state_{self.kv_args.engine_rank}",
+                                decode_tp_size,
+                                decode_tp_rank=dst_info.decode_tp_rank,
+                                dst_state_item_lens=dst_info.dst_state_item_lens,
+                                dst_state_dim_per_tensor=dst_info.dst_state_dim_per_tensor,
+                            )
+                            handles.extend(
+                                h for h in state_xfer_handles if h is not None
+                            )
 
                         if kv_chunk.prefill_aux_index is None:
                             raise RuntimeError("Missing aux index for last chunk")
@@ -1974,8 +1977,11 @@ def send_metadata(
                     ]
                 )
 
-        # Mark that we expect state data if state_indices was provided
-        if state_indices is not None:
+        # Mark that we expect state data if state_indices was provided.
+        # Match the prefill-side truthy check: an empty list means the
+        # model has no state types (e.g. dense LLaMA/Qwen), and prefill
+        # won't send state notifs, so we must not expect them.
+        if state_indices:
             self.kv_mgr.transfer_statuses[self.bootstrap_room].expects_state = True
 
         self.started_transfer = True