diff --git a/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences.go b/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences.go
index 5c1e2ca7fa6..e1a13b96b72 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences.go
@@ -166,18 +166,21 @@ func (ts *trafficSwitcher) getMaxSequenceValue(ctx context.Context, seq *sequenc
 			Query:   []byte(query.Query),
 			MaxRows: 1,
 		})
-		if terr != nil || len(qr.Rows) != 1 {
+		if terr != nil {
 			return vterrors.Errorf(vtrpcpb.Code_INTERNAL,
 				"failed to get the max used sequence value for target table %s.%s on tablet %s in order to initialize the backing sequence table: %v",
 				ts.targetKeyspace, seq.usingTableName, topoproto.TabletAliasString(primary.Alias), terr)
 		}
-		rawVal := sqltypes.Proto3ToResult(qr).Rows[0][0]
 		maxID := int64(0)
-		if !rawVal.IsNull() { // If it's NULL then there are no rows and 0 remains the max
-			maxID, terr = rawVal.ToInt64()
-			if terr != nil {
-				return vterrors.Errorf(vtrpcpb.Code_INTERNAL, "failed to get the max used sequence value for target table %s.%s on tablet %s in order to initialize the backing sequence table: %v",
-					ts.targetKeyspace, seq.usingTableName, topoproto.TabletAliasString(primary.Alias), terr)
+		// If no rows are returned, max remains 0.
+		if len(qr.Rows) != 0 {
+			rawVal := sqltypes.Proto3ToResult(qr).Rows[0][0]
+			if !rawVal.IsNull() { // If it's NULL then 0 remains the max
+				maxID, terr = rawVal.ToInt64()
+				if terr != nil {
+					return vterrors.Errorf(vtrpcpb.Code_INTERNAL, "failed to get the max used sequence value for target table %s.%s on tablet %s in order to initialize the backing sequence table: %v",
+						ts.targetKeyspace, seq.usingTableName, topoproto.TabletAliasString(primary.Alias), terr)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		setMaxSequenceValue(maxID)
@@ -352,9 +355,6 @@ func (ts *trafficSwitcher) initializeTargetSequences(ctx context.Context, sequen
 	}
 	for _, sm := range sequencesByBackingTable {
 		maxValue := maxValues[sm.backingTableName]
-		if maxValue == 0 {
-			continue
-		}
 		if err := ts.updateSequenceValue(ctx, sm, maxValue); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences_test.go b/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences_test.go
index 61b020c1e2a..3822e2822a3 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtctl/workflow/sequences_test.go
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@ import (
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqlescape"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/sqltypes"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/mysqlctl/tmutils"
-	tabletmanagerdatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/tabletmanagerdata"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/vschema"
-	vtctldatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/vtctldata"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/sqlparser"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/topo"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/vreplication"
+
+	tabletmanagerdatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/tabletmanagerdata"
+	vtctldatapb "vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/proto/vtctldata"
 )
 
 func TestInitializeTargetSequences(t *testing.T) {
@@ -89,16 +90,48 @@ func TestInitializeTargetSequences(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	env.tmc.expectVRQuery(200, "/select max.*", sqltypes.MakeTestResult(sqltypes.MakeTestFields("maxval", "int64"), "34"))
-	// Expect the insert query to be executed with 35 as a params, since we provide a maxID of 34 in the last query
-	env.tmc.expectVRQuery(100, "/insert into.*35.*", &sqltypes.Result{RowsAffected: 1})
+	type testCase struct {
+		name            string
+		selectMaxQuery  string
+		selectMaxResult *sqltypes.Result
+		insertQuery     string
+	}
 
-	err = sw.initializeTargetSequences(ctx, sequencesByBackingTable)
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	testCases := []testCase{
+		{
+			name:           "initialize sequences",
+			selectMaxQuery: "/select max.*",
+			selectMaxResult: sqltypes.MakeTestResult(
+				sqltypes.MakeTestFields("maxval", "int64"),
+				"34",
+			),
+			insertQuery: "/insert into.*35.*",
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "initialize sequences for empty tables",
+			selectMaxQuery: "/select max.*",
+			selectMaxResult: sqltypes.MakeTestResult(
+				sqltypes.MakeTestFields("maxval", "int64"),
+			),
+			insertQuery: "/insert into.*1.*",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// Expect the select max query to be executed
+			env.tmc.expectVRQuery(200, tc.selectMaxQuery, tc.selectMaxResult)
+			// Expect the insert query to be executed
+			env.tmc.expectVRQuery(100, tc.insertQuery, &sqltypes.Result{RowsAffected: 1})
+
+			err = sw.initializeTargetSequences(ctx, sequencesByBackingTable)
+			assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// Expect the queries to be cleared
-	assert.Emptyf(t, env.tmc.vrQueries[100], "expected no queries to be executed, found: %q", env.tmc.vrQueries[100])
-	assert.Empty(t, env.tmc.vrQueries[200], "expected no queries to be executed, found: %q", env.tmc.vrQueries[200])
+			// Expect the queries to be cleared
+			assert.Emptyf(t, env.tmc.vrQueries[100], "expected no queries to be executed, found: %q", env.tmc.vrQueries[100])
+			assert.Empty(t, env.tmc.vrQueries[200], "expected no queries to be executed, found: %q", env.tmc.vrQueries[200])
+		})
+	}
 }
 
 func TestGetTargetSequenceMetadata(t *testing.T) {