diff --git a/pkg/local_object_storage/metabase/list.go b/pkg/local_object_storage/metabase/list.go
index 44f25246e..74a529809 100644
--- a/pkg/local_object_storage/metabase/list.go
+++ b/pkg/local_object_storage/metabase/list.go
@@ -452,10 +452,11 @@ func (db *DB) CountAliveObjectsInBucket(ctx context.Context, prm CountAliveObjec
 		return 0, ErrDegradedMode
 	}
 
-	cidRaw := prm.BucketName[1:bucketKeySize]
-	if cidRaw == nil {
+	if len(prm.BucketName) != bucketKeySize {
 		return 0, nil
 	}
+
+	cidRaw := prm.BucketName[1:bucketKeySize]
 	var count uint64
 	err := db.boltDB.View(func(tx *bbolt.Tx) error {
 		bkt := tx.Bucket(prm.BucketName)