diff --git a/packages/dockview-core/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts b/packages/dockview-core/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts
index e6eb16d08..65ead5491 100644
--- a/packages/dockview-core/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview-core/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts
@@ -3824,7 +3824,7 @@ describe('dockviewComponent', () => {
         expect(el.style.width).toBe('256px');
     });
 
-    test('that external dnd events do not trigger the top-level center dnd target', () => {
+    test('that external dnd events do not trigger the top-level center dnd target unless empty', () => {
         const container = document.createElement('div');
 
         const showDndOverlay = jest.fn().mockReturnValue(true);
@@ -3847,7 +3847,7 @@ describe('dockviewComponent', () => {
             id: 'panel_1',
             component: 'default',
         });
-        dockview.addPanel({
+        const panel2 = dockview.addPanel({
             id: 'panel_2',
             component: 'default',
             position: { direction: 'right' },
@@ -3956,5 +3956,27 @@ describe('dockviewComponent', () => {
 
         // expect not to be called for center
         expect(showDndOverlay).toBeCalledTimes(4);
+
+        dockview.removePanel(panel1);
+        dockview.removePanel(panel2);
+
+        // center, but empty
+
+        const eventCenter2 = new KeyboardEvent('dragover');
+        Object.defineProperty(eventCenter2, 'clientX', {
+            get: () => 50,
+        });
+        Object.defineProperty(eventCenter2, 'clientY', {
+            get: () => 50,
+        });
+        fireEvent(dockview.element, eventCenter2);
+
+        expect(showDndOverlay).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+            nativeEvent: eventTop,
+            position: 'center',
+            target: DockviewDropTargets.Edge,
+            getData: getPanelData,
+        });
+        expect(showDndOverlay).toBeCalledTimes(5);
     });
 });
diff --git a/packages/dockview-core/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts b/packages/dockview-core/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
index 5fb066f7e..166755ccb 100644
--- a/packages/dockview-core/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview-core/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ export class DockviewComponent
                 }
 
                 if (this.options.showDndOverlay) {
-                    if (position === 'center') {
+                    if (position === 'center' && this.gridview.length !== 0) {
                         /**
                          * for external events only show the four-corner drag overlays, disable
                          * the center position so that external drag events can fall through to the group