diff --git a/system/t05_snapshot/CreateSnapshot9Test_gold b/system/t05_snapshot/CreateSnapshot9Test_gold
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ff183dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/system/t05_snapshot/CreateSnapshot9Test_gold
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ERROR: unable to create snapshot: local repo doesn't have packages
diff --git a/system/t05_snapshot/create.py b/system/t05_snapshot/create.py
index f4ea1e1f..ec641613 100644
--- a/system/t05_snapshot/create.py
+++ b/system/t05_snapshot/create.py
@@ -96,3 +96,14 @@ class CreateSnapshot8Test(BaseTest):
     ]
     runCmd = "aptly snapshot create snap8 from repo local-repo"
     expectedCode = 1
+
+
+class CreateSnapshot9Test(BaseTest):
+    """
+    create snapshot: from empty repo
+    """
+    fixtureCmds = [
+        "aptly repo create local-repo",
+    ]
+    runCmd = "aptly snapshot create snap9 from repo local-repo"
+    expectedCode = 1