diff --git a/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/staticanalysis/EqualsAvoidsNullVisitor.java b/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/staticanalysis/EqualsAvoidsNullVisitor.java
index 8ddc19a33..14864c924 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/staticanalysis/EqualsAvoidsNullVisitor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/staticanalysis/EqualsAvoidsNullVisitor.java
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ public J visitMethodInvocation(J.MethodInvocation method, P p) {
         J.MethodInvocation m = (J.MethodInvocation) super.visitMethodInvocation(method, p);
         if (m.getSelect() != null &&
             !(m.getSelect() instanceof J.Literal) &&
+            !m.getArguments().isEmpty() &&
             m.getArguments().get(0) instanceof J.Literal &&
             isStringComparisonMethod(m)) {
             return literalsFirstInComparisonsBinaryCheck(m, getCursor().getParentTreeCursor().getValue());