diff --git a/mutation_compactor.hh b/mutation_compactor.hh
index a70c8d4586..924c7fff0b 100644
--- a/mutation_compactor.hh
+++ b/mutation_compactor.hh
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ public:
             }
 
             _row_limit -= _rows_in_current_partition;
-            _partition_limit -= 1;
+            _partition_limit -= _rows_in_current_partition > 0;
             _consumer.consume_end_of_partition();
             if (!sstable_compaction()) {
                 return _row_limit && _partition_limit ? stop_iteration::no : stop_iteration::yes;
@@ -253,4 +253,4 @@ struct compact_for_query : compact_mutation<only_live, compact_for_sstables::no,
 template<typename CompactedMutationsConsumer>
 struct compact_for_compaction : compact_mutation<emit_only_live_rows::no, compact_for_sstables::yes, CompactedMutationsConsumer> {
     using compact_mutation<emit_only_live_rows::no, compact_for_sstables::yes, CompactedMutationsConsumer>::compact_mutation;
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};