diff --git a/src/derive_level_paths.py b/src/derive_level_paths.py
index d9dbe1a0..97429f86 100755
--- a/src/derive_level_paths.py
+++ b/src/derive_level_paths.py
@@ -209,9 +209,14 @@ def Derive_level_paths(
             feature_attribute=branch_id_attribute, outlet_linestring_index=outlet_linestring_index
         )
 
-        branch_inlets.to_file(branch_inlets_outfile, index=False, driver="GPKG", engine='fiona')
+        if not branch_inlets.empty:
+            branch_inlets.to_file(branch_inlets_outfile, index=False, driver="GPKG", engine='fiona')
 
-    return stream_network
+    if stream_network.empty:
+        print("Sorry, no streams exist and processing can not continue. This could be an empty file.")
+        sys.exit(FIM_exit_codes.UNIT_NO_BRANCHES.value)  # will send a 60 back
+    else:
+        return stream_network
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/src/stream_branches.py b/src/stream_branches.py
index 76ded954..59128147 100755
--- a/src/stream_branches.py
+++ b/src/stream_branches.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import os
+import sys
 from collections import deque
 from os.path import isfile, splitext
 from random import sample
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@
 from shapely.strtree import STRtree
 from tqdm import tqdm
 
+from utils.fim_enums import FIM_exit_codes
 from utils.shared_variables import PREP_CRS
 
 
@@ -732,6 +734,12 @@ def select_branches_intersecting_huc(self, wbd, buffer_wbd_streams, out_vector_f
                 if verbose:
                     print("Writing selected branches ...")
 
+                if self.empty:
+                    print(
+                        "Sorry, no streams exist and processing can not continue. This could be an empty file."
+                    )
+                    sys.exit(FIM_exit_codes.UNIT_NO_BRANCHES.value)  # will send a 60 back
+
                 self.write(out_vector_files, index=False)
 
         return self