diff --git a/pkg/storage/mvcc.go b/pkg/storage/mvcc.go
index 153fddab0174..f01d9a69540b 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/mvcc.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/mvcc.go
@@ -5496,10 +5496,16 @@ func mvccMinSplitKey(it MVCCIterator, startKey roachpb.Key) (roachpb.Key, error)
 //  4. Not in between the start and end of a row for table ranges.
 //
 // The returned split key is NOT guaranteed to be outside a no-split span, such
-// as Meta1, Meta2Max or Node Liveness.
+// as Meta2Max or Node Liveness.
 func MVCCFirstSplitKey(
 	_ context.Context, reader Reader, desiredSplitKey, startKey, endKey roachpb.RKey,
 ) (roachpb.Key, error) {
+	// If the start key of the range is within the meta1 key space, the range
+	// cannot be split.
+	if startKey.Less(roachpb.RKey(keys.LocalMax)) {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
 	it := reader.NewMVCCIterator(MVCCKeyAndIntentsIterKind, IterOptions{UpperBound: endKey.AsRawKey()})
 	defer it.Close()
 
diff --git a/pkg/storage/mvcc_test.go b/pkg/storage/mvcc_test.go
index 102d578a6e47..427a4cd0cb7a 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/mvcc_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/mvcc_test.go
@@ -4530,6 +4530,25 @@ func TestMVCCFirstSplitKey(t *testing.T) {
 				{desired: roachpb.Key("z"), expected: nil},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			// meta1 cannot be split. Previously, this test would cause a panic in
+			// mvccMinSplitKey, called by MVCCFirstSplitKey. The iterator is
+			// initialized with a global key constraint from the endKey
+			// ("\x02\xff\xff"), but we seekGE the start key (MinKey="") which is
+			// local because it is before LocalMax (0x02).
+			keys: []roachpb.Key{
+				roachpb.Key("\x02"),
+				roachpb.Key("\x02\x00"),
+				roachpb.Key("\x02\xff"),
+			},
+			startKey: keys.MinKey,
+			endKey:   keys.Meta1KeyMax,
+			splits: []splitExpect{
+				{desired: keys.MinKey, expected: nil},
+				{desired: roachpb.Key("\x02"), expected: nil},
+				{desired: roachpb.Key("\x02\x00"), expected: nil},
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			// All keys are outside the range, no keys to spit at so expect no
 			// splits.
@@ -4581,6 +4600,7 @@ func TestMVCCFirstSplitKey(t *testing.T) {
 				{desired: roachpb.Key("0"), expected: roachpb.Key("c")},
 				{desired: roachpb.Key("b"), expected: roachpb.Key("c")},
 				{desired: roachpb.Key("c"), expected: roachpb.Key("c")},
+				{desired: keys.MinKey, expected: roachpb.Key("c")},
 				// Desired split key is after the last key in the range (c), shouldn't
 				// split.
 				{desired: roachpb.Key("d"), expected: nil},