diff --git a/seaweed-volume/src/storage/volume.rs b/seaweed-volume/src/storage/volume.rs
index fb68056e3..52274d5b0 100644
--- a/seaweed-volume/src/storage/volume.rs
+++ b/seaweed-volume/src/storage/volume.rs
@@ -773,6 +773,13 @@ impl Volume {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    fn nm_or_not_found(&self) -> Result<&NeedleMap, VolumeError> {
+        self.nm.as_ref().ok_or_else(|| {
+            tracing::warn!(volume_id = self.id.0, "needle map not loaded");
+            VolumeError::NotFound
+        })
+    }
+
     fn load_index(&mut self) -> Result<(), VolumeError> {
         let use_redb = matches!(
             self.needle_map_kind,
@@ -1058,7 +1065,7 @@ impl Volume {
         read_option: &mut ReadOption,
     ) -> Result<i32, VolumeError> {
         let _guard = self.data_file_access_control.read_lock();
-        let nm = self.nm.as_ref().ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
+        let nm = self.nm_or_not_found()?;
         let nv = nm.get(n.id).ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
 
         if nv.offset.is_zero() {
@@ -1300,7 +1307,7 @@ impl Volume {
         read_deleted: bool,
     ) -> Result<NeedleStreamInfo, VolumeError> {
         let _guard = self.data_file_access_control.read_lock();
-        let nm = self.nm.as_ref().ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
+        let nm = self.nm_or_not_found()?;
         let nv = nm.get(n.id).ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
 
         if nv.offset.is_zero() {
@@ -1402,7 +1409,7 @@ impl Volume {
         &self,
         needle_id: NeedleId,
     ) -> Result<(u64, u16), VolumeError> {
-        let nm = self.nm.as_ref().ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
+        let nm = self.nm_or_not_found()?;
         let nv = nm.get(needle_id).ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
         if nv.offset.is_zero() {
             return Err(VolumeError::NotFound);
@@ -1719,7 +1726,7 @@ impl Volume {
     /// Read all live needles from the volume (for ReadAllNeedles streaming RPC).
     pub fn read_all_needles(&self) -> Result<Vec<Needle>, VolumeError> {
         let _guard = self.data_file_access_control.read_lock();
-        let nm = self.nm.as_ref().ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
+        let nm = self.nm_or_not_found()?;
         let version = self.version();
         let dat_size = self.current_dat_file_size()? as i64;
         let mut needles = Vec::new();
@@ -1908,7 +1915,7 @@ impl Volume {
         if self.dat_file.is_none() && self.remote_dat_file.is_none() {
             return Err(VolumeError::NotFound);
         }
-        let nm = self.nm.as_ref().ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
+        let nm = self.nm_or_not_found()?;
         let dat_size = self.dat_file_size().map_err(VolumeError::Io)?;
 
         let mut files_checked: u64 = 0;
@@ -1968,7 +1975,7 @@ impl Volume {
         if self.dat_file.is_none() && self.remote_dat_file.is_none() {
             return Err(VolumeError::NotFound);
         }
-        let nm = self.nm.as_ref().ok_or(VolumeError::NotFound)?;
+        let nm = self.nm_or_not_found()?;
 
         let dat_size = self.dat_file_size().map_err(|e| VolumeError::Io(e))?;
         let version = self.version();
diff --git a/weed/storage/volume_read.go b/weed/storage/volume_read.go
index 9e27fb4b2..702f3ed39 100644
--- a/weed/storage/volume_read.go
+++ b/weed/storage/volume_read.go
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ func (v *Volume) readNeedle(n *needle.Needle, readOption *ReadOption, onReadSize
 	v.dataFileAccessLock.RLock()
 	defer v.dataFileAccessLock.RUnlock()
 
+	if v.nm == nil {
+		glog.V(0).Infof("volume %d: needle map not loaded; read returns not-found", v.Id)
+		return -1, ErrorNotFound
+	}
+
 	nv, ok := v.nm.Get(n.Id)
 	if !ok || nv.Offset.IsZero() {
 		return -1, ErrorNotFound
@@ -108,6 +113,13 @@ func (v *Volume) readNeedleDataInto(n *needle.Needle, readOption *ReadOption, wr
 	if readOption.HasSlowRead {
 		v.dataFileAccessLock.RLock()
 	}
+	if v.nm == nil {
+		if readOption.HasSlowRead {
+			v.dataFileAccessLock.RUnlock()
+		}
+		glog.V(0).Infof("volume %d: needle map not loaded; read returns not-found", v.Id)
+		return ErrorNotFound
+	}
 	nv, ok := v.nm.Get(n.Id)
 	if readOption.HasSlowRead {
 		v.dataFileAccessLock.RUnlock()
@@ -146,6 +158,13 @@ func (v *Volume) readNeedleDataInto(n *needle.Needle, readOption *ReadOption, wr
 		}
 		// possibly re-read needle offset if volume is compacted
 		if readOption.VolumeRevision != v.SuperBlock.CompactionRevision {
+			if v.nm == nil {
+				if readOption.HasSlowRead {
+					v.dataFileAccessLock.RUnlock()
+				}
+				glog.V(0).Infof("volume %d: needle map not loaded mid-read", v.Id)
+				return ErrorNotFound
+			}
 			// the volume is compacted
 			nv, ok = v.nm.Get(n.Id)
 			if !ok || nv.Offset.IsZero() {
diff --git a/weed/storage/volume_read_test.go b/weed/storage/volume_read_test.go
index d3fb31c64..45ca55e8e 100644
--- a/weed/storage/volume_read_test.go
+++ b/weed/storage/volume_read_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package storage
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle"
@@ -9,6 +10,35 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
+func TestReadNeedleNilNeedleMap(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	v, err := NewVolume(dir, dir, "", 1, NeedleMapInMemory, &super_block.ReplicaPlacement{}, &needle.TTL{}, 0, needle.GetCurrentVersion(), 0, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("volume creation: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer v.Close()
+
+	v.dataFileAccessLock.Lock()
+	if v.nm != nil {
+		v.nm.Close()
+		v.nm = nil
+	}
+	v.dataFileAccessLock.Unlock()
+
+	n := new(needle.Needle)
+	n.Id = types.Uint64ToNeedleId(1)
+
+	if _, err := v.readNeedle(n, &ReadOption{}, nil); err != ErrorNotFound {
+		t.Fatalf("readNeedle: want ErrorNotFound, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = v.readNeedleDataInto(n, &ReadOption{ReadBufferSize: 1024}, &bytes.Buffer{}, 0, 0)
+	if err != ErrorNotFound {
+		t.Fatalf("readNeedleDataInto: want ErrorNotFound, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReadNeedMetaWithWritesAndUpdates(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()