diff --git a/.changeset/shaggy-months-tease.md b/.changeset/shaggy-months-tease.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb292424f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/shaggy-months-tease.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"shadcn": patch
+---
+
+check for empty css vars
diff --git a/packages/shadcn/src/utils/updaters/update-css-vars.ts b/packages/shadcn/src/utils/updaters/update-css-vars.ts
index b9edf25011..f5bf416dfe 100644
--- a/packages/shadcn/src/utils/updaters/update-css-vars.ts
+++ b/packages/shadcn/src/utils/updaters/update-css-vars.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export async function updateCssVars(
     tailwindConfig?: z.infer<typeof registryItemTailwindSchema>["config"]
   }
 ) {
-  if (!config.resolvedPaths.tailwindCss) {
+  if (!config.resolvedPaths.tailwindCss || !Object.keys(cssVars ?? {}).length) {
     return
   }