diff --git a/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser.go b/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser.go
index 24df73b70b..a664c47d83 100644
--- a/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser.go
+++ b/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser.go
@@ -271,6 +271,12 @@ func (p *NumpyParser) validateHeader(columnReader *NumpyColumnReader) error {
 
 	elementType := columnReader.reader.GetType()
 	shape := columnReader.reader.GetShape()
+	// if user only save an element in a numpy file, the shape list will be empty
+	if len(shape) == 0 {
+		log.Error("Numpy parser: the content stored in numpy file is not valid numpy array",
+			zap.String("fieldName", columnReader.fieldName))
+		return fmt.Errorf("the content stored in numpy file is not valid numpy array for field '%s'", columnReader.fieldName)
+	}
 	columnReader.rowCount = shape[0]
 
 	// 1. field data type should be consist to numpy data type
diff --git a/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser_test.go b/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser_test.go
index 5ba8b07acc..c62518b253 100644
--- a/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser_test.go
+++ b/internal/util/importutil/numpy_parser_test.go
@@ -142,6 +142,26 @@ func Test_NumpyParserValidateHeader(t *testing.T) {
 	err = parser.validateHeader(nil)
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 
+	t.Run("not a valid numpy array", func(t *testing.T) {
+		filePath := TempFilesPath + "invalid.npy"
+		err = CreateNumpyFile(filePath, "aaa")
+		assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+		file, err := os.Open(filePath)
+		assert.Nil(t, err)
+		defer file.Close()
+
+		adapter, err := NewNumpyAdapter(file)
+		assert.Nil(t, err)
+
+		columnReader := &NumpyColumnReader{
+			fieldName: "invalid",
+			reader:    adapter,
+		}
+		err = parser.validateHeader(columnReader)
+		assert.Error(t, err)
+	})
+
 	validateHeader := func(data interface{}, fieldSchema *schemapb.FieldSchema) error {
 		filePath := TempFilesPath + fieldSchema.GetName() + ".npy"