diff --git a/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_ban_list.rs b/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_ban_list.rs
index 8037793159..96a0f152b3 100644
--- a/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_ban_list.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_ban_list.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ impl IpBanList {
     }
   }
 
-  pub fn total_len(&self) -> AnyhowResult<usize> {
+  pub fn total_ip_address_count(&self) -> AnyhowResult<usize> {
     match self.ip_sets.read() {
       Err(_) => Err(anyhow!("Can't read lock")),
       Ok(sets) => {
@@ -57,6 +57,15 @@ impl IpBanList {
       },
     }
   }
+
+  pub fn set_count(&self) -> AnyhowResult<usize> {
+    match self.ip_sets.read() {
+      Err(_) => Err(anyhow!("Can't read lock")),
+      Ok(sets) => {
+        Ok(sets.len())
+      },
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_set.rs b/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_set.rs
index 4f553b6c87..a0ddf0174f 100644
--- a/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_set.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/ip_set.rs
@@ -38,4 +38,8 @@ impl IpSet {
   pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
     self.ip_set.len()
   }
+
+  pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+    self.ip_set.is_empty()
+  }
 }
diff --git a/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/load_ip_ban_list_from_directory.rs b/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/load_ip_ban_list_from_directory.rs
index e6d8f9f61c..7982449ced 100644
--- a/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/load_ip_ban_list_from_directory.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/actix_helpers/src/middleware/ip_filter/ip_ban_list/load_ip_ban_list_from_directory.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ pub fn load_ip_ban_list_from_directory<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: P) -> AnyhowResult<
     let path = entry?.path();
     let path_name = path.to_string_lossy().to_string();
     let ip_set = load_ip_set_from_file(path)?;
+    if ip_set.is_empty() {
+      continue;
+    }
     ip_ban_list.add_set(path_name, ip_set)?;
   }
 
@@ -40,5 +43,17 @@ mod tests {
     // IP addresses in both files are
     assert_eq!(ip_set.contains_ip_address("127.0.0.1").unwrap(), true);
     assert_eq!(ip_set.contains_ip_address("192.168.0.1").unwrap(), true);
+
+    // All five IPs were loaded
+    assert_eq!(ip_set.total_ip_address_count().unwrap(), 5);
+  }
+
+  #[test]
+  fn empty_files_are_not_loaded() {
+    let directory = test_file("test_data/text_files/ip_ban_example/");
+    let ip_set = load_ip_ban_list_from_directory(directory).unwrap();
+
+    // NB: There are two files with IP addresses and a single empty file, which should not be loaded
+    assert_eq!(ip_set.set_count().unwrap(), 2);
   }
 }
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/main.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/main.rs
index 920615a6e1..0fb3ddb3b1 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/main.rs
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ fn load_static_container_ip_bans() -> IpBanList {
   let ip_ban_list = load_ip_ban_list_from_directory(ip_ban_directory)
       .unwrap_or(IpBanList::new());
 
-  info!("Static IP bans loaded: {}", ip_ban_list.total_len().unwrap_or(0));
+  info!("Static IP bans loaded: {}", ip_ban_list.total_ip_address_count().unwrap_or(0));
   ip_ban_list
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/threads/poll_ip_banlist_thread.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/threads/poll_ip_banlist_thread.rs
index bc56731b2b..7b1ea4a973 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/threads/poll_ip_banlist_thread.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/threads/poll_ip_banlist_thread.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ pub async fn poll_ip_bans(
 
     match ip_ban_list.add_set(DYNAMIC_BAN_LIST_NAME.to_string(), ip_set)  {
       Ok(_) => {
-        let total_count = ip_ban_list.total_len().unwrap_or(0);
+        let total_count = ip_ban_list.total_ip_address_count().unwrap_or(0);
         info!("Internal IP ban list updated! Total bans: {} ({} from database)",
           total_count, database_count);
       },
diff --git a/test_data/text_files/ip_ban_example/empty_file_with_no_ip_addresses.txt b/test_data/text_files/ip_ban_example/empty_file_with_no_ip_addresses.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2