diff --git a/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.actor.cpp b/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.actor.cpp
index 5561ad2592..9f80ff8e2a 100644
--- a/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.actor.cpp
+++ b/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.actor.cpp
@@ -247,6 +247,21 @@ public:
 		}
 	}
 
+	ACTOR static Future<bool> checkAnyBlobRanges(Database db) {
+		state Transaction tr(db);
+		loop {
+			try {
+				// FIXME: check if any active ranges. This still returns true if there are inactive ranges, but it
+				// mostly serves its purpose to allow setting blob_granules_enabled=1 on a cluster that has no blob
+				// workers currently.
+				RangeResult anyData = wait(tr.getRange(blobRangeKeys, 1));
+				return !anyData.empty();
+			} catch (Error& e) {
+				wait(tr.onError(e));
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	ACTOR static Future<Void> monitorBlobWorkers(Ratekeeper* self, Reference<AsyncVar<ServerDBInfo> const> dbInfo) {
 		state std::vector<BlobWorkerInterface> blobWorkers;
 		state int workerFetchCount = 0;
@@ -257,6 +272,7 @@ public:
 
 		loop {
 			while (!self->configuration.blobGranulesEnabled) {
+				// FIXME: clear blob worker state if granules were previously enabled?
 				wait(delay(SERVER_KNOBS->SERVER_LIST_DELAY));
 			}
 
@@ -267,8 +283,9 @@ public:
 			                  (SERVER_KNOBS->METRIC_UPDATE_RATE * FLOW_KNOBS->DELAY_JITTER_OFFSET);
 			if (++workerFetchCount == fetchAmount || blobWorkerDead) {
 				workerFetchCount = 0;
-				std::vector<BlobWorkerInterface> _blobWorkers = wait(getBlobWorkers(self->db, true, &grv));
-				blobWorkers = _blobWorkers;
+				state Future<bool> anyBlobRangesCheck = checkAnyBlobRanges(self->db);
+				wait(store(blobWorkers, getBlobWorkers(self->db, true, &grv)));
+				wait(store(self->anyBlobRanges, anyBlobRangesCheck));
 			} else {
 				grv = self->maxVersion;
 			}
@@ -635,7 +652,7 @@ Ratekeeper::Ratekeeper(UID id, Database db)
                 SERVER_KNOBS->MAX_TL_SS_VERSION_DIFFERENCE_BATCH,
                 SERVER_KNOBS->TARGET_DURABILITY_LAG_VERSIONS_BATCH,
                 SERVER_KNOBS->TARGET_BW_LAG_BATCH),
-    maxVersion(0), blobWorkerTime(now()), unblockedAssignmentTime(now()) {
+    maxVersion(0), blobWorkerTime(now()), unblockedAssignmentTime(now()), anyBlobRanges(false) {
 	if (SERVER_KNOBS->GLOBAL_TAG_THROTTLING) {
 		tagThrottler = std::make_unique<GlobalTagThrottler>(db, id, SERVER_KNOBS->MAX_MACHINES_FALLING_BEHIND);
 	} else {
@@ -897,7 +914,7 @@ void Ratekeeper::updateRate(RatekeeperLimits* limits) {
 		break;
 	}
 
-	if (configuration.blobGranulesEnabled && SERVER_KNOBS->BW_THROTTLING_ENABLED) {
+	if (configuration.blobGranulesEnabled && SERVER_KNOBS->BW_THROTTLING_ENABLED && anyBlobRanges) {
 		Version lastBWVer = 0;
 		auto lastIter = version_transactions.end();
 		if (!blobWorkerVersionHistory.empty()) {
diff --git a/fdbserver/include/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.h b/fdbserver/include/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.h
index 0e3055006c..1a5237666e 100644
--- a/fdbserver/include/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.h
+++ b/fdbserver/include/fdbserver/Ratekeeper.h
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ class Ratekeeper {
 	std::map<Version, Ratekeeper::VersionInfo> version_transactions;
 	std::map<Version, std::pair<double, Optional<double>>> version_recovery;
 	Deque<std::pair<double, Version>> blobWorkerVersionHistory;
+	bool anyBlobRanges;
 	Optional<Key> remoteDC;
 
 	double getRecoveryDuration(Version ver) const {