diff --git a/weed/wdclient/vid_map.go b/weed/wdclient/vid_map.go
index de5b09de1..648cb614a 100644
--- a/weed/wdclient/vid_map.go
+++ b/weed/wdclient/vid_map.go
@@ -130,10 +130,19 @@ func (vc *vidMap) GetVidLocations(vid string) (locations []Location, err error)
 func (vc *vidMap) GetLocations(vid uint32) (locations []Location, found bool) {
 	// glog.V(4).Infof("~ lookup volume id %d: %+v ec:%+v", vid, vc.vid2Locations, vc.ecVid2Locations)
 	locations, found = vc.getLocations(vid)
-	if found && len(locations) > 0 {
-		return locations, found
+	if found {
+		// If volume is explicitly tracked (found=true), return its locations even if empty.
+		// An empty array means "volume has no locations" (e.g., during pod restart),
+		// which is different from "volume never existed" (found=false).
+		// Don't fall back to stale cache for explicitly empty volumes.
+		if len(locations) > 0 {
+			return locations, found
+		}
+		// Volume exists but has no locations - return empty, don't check cache
+		return nil, false
 	}
 
+	// Volume not found in current map - check cache for unknown volumes
 	if cachedMap := vc.cache.Load(); cachedMap != nil {
 		return cachedMap.GetLocations(vid)
 	}
diff --git a/weed/wdclient/vidmap_invalidation_test.go b/weed/wdclient/vidmap_invalidation_test.go
index e2a544d41..0d25de975 100644
--- a/weed/wdclient/vidmap_invalidation_test.go
+++ b/weed/wdclient/vidmap_invalidation_test.go
@@ -205,3 +205,74 @@ func TestDeleteVidRecursion(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("Expected vid to be removed from vm1 (cascaded)")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestGetLocationsEmptyArrayNoFallback tests that empty location arrays don't fall back to cache
+// This tests the fix for the bug where volume pods restart and vidMap has empty array [],
+// but GetLocations would fall back to stale cached locations from before restart.
+func TestGetLocationsEmptyArrayNoFallback(t *testing.T) {
+	// Setup: Create vidMap with cache
+	currentMap := newVidMap("")
+	vid := uint32(10)
+	oldLocation := Location{Url: "10.131.1.28:8081"}
+	newLocation := Location{Url: "10.131.1.65:8081"}
+
+	// Scenario: Volume initially has old location
+	currentMap.addLocation(vid, oldLocation)
+	locs, found := currentMap.GetLocations(vid)
+	if !found || len(locs) != 1 || locs[0].Url != oldLocation.Url {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to find old location, got found=%v locs=%v", found, locs)
+	}
+
+	// Create cache chain with old location
+	cachedMap := newVidMap("")
+	cachedMap.addLocation(vid, oldLocation)
+	currentMap.cache.Store(cachedMap)
+
+	// Simulate: Volume server restarts, old location is deleted
+	currentMap.deleteLocation(vid, oldLocation)
+
+	// BUG: At this point vid2Locations[vid] = [] (empty array, key exists)
+	// OLD BEHAVIOR: GetLocations would see found=true, len=0 and fall back to cache
+	// returning stale oldLocation
+	// NEW BEHAVIOR: GetLocations should return nil, false (no locations available)
+
+	locs, found = currentMap.GetLocations(vid)
+	if found {
+		t.Errorf("Expected found=false for empty location array, got found=true with locs=%v", locs)
+	}
+	if locs != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Expected nil locations for empty array, got %v (should not fall back to stale cache!)", locs)
+	}
+
+	// Verify: When new location is added, it should be returned (not stale cache)
+	currentMap.addLocation(vid, newLocation)
+	locs, found = currentMap.GetLocations(vid)
+	if !found || len(locs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to find new location, got found=%v locs=%v", found, locs)
+	}
+	if locs[0].Url != newLocation.Url {
+		t.Errorf("Expected new location %s, got %s (got stale cache!)", newLocation.Url, locs[0].Url)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestGetLocationsUnknownVolumeUsesCache tests that truly unknown volumes still use cache
+func TestGetLocationsUnknownVolumeUsesCache(t *testing.T) {
+	// Setup: Current map doesn't know about volume, but cache does
+	currentMap := newVidMap("")
+	cachedMap := newVidMap("")
+	vid := uint32(99)
+	cachedLocation := Location{Url: "cache-server:8081"}
+
+	cachedMap.addLocation(vid, cachedLocation)
+	currentMap.cache.Store(cachedMap)
+
+	// Volume 99 is completely unknown to currentMap (not in vid2Locations)
+	// This should fall back to cache
+	locs, found := currentMap.GetLocations(vid)
+	if !found || len(locs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to find cached location for unknown volume, got found=%v locs=%v", found, locs)
+	}
+	if locs[0].Url != cachedLocation.Url {
+		t.Errorf("Expected cached location %s, got %s", cachedLocation.Url, locs[0].Url)
+	}
+}