diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/InnerHitBuilder.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/InnerHitBuilder.java
index 81dbc4c2e0a69..44fac46fdb99d 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/InnerHitBuilder.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/query/InnerHitBuilder.java
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ public InnerHitBuilder addFetchField(String name) {
      * @param format an optional format string used when formatting values, for example a date format.
      */
     public InnerHitBuilder addFetchField(String name, @Nullable String format) {
-        if (fetchFields == null) {
+        if (fetchFields == null || fetchFields.isEmpty()) {
             fetchFields = new ArrayList<>();
         }
         fetchFields.add(new FieldAndFormat(name, format));