diff --git a/lib/livebook/session.ex b/lib/livebook/session.ex
index 3502c3dc2..a8d81951b 100644
--- a/lib/livebook/session.ex
+++ b/lib/livebook/session.ex
@@ -209,14 +209,14 @@ defmodule Livebook.Session do
   def fetch_assets(pid, hash) do
     local_assets_path = local_assets_path(hash)
 
-    if File.exists?(local_assets_path) do
+    if non_empty_dir?(local_assets_path) do
       :ok
     else
       with {:ok, runtime, archive_path} <-
              GenServer.call(pid, {:get_runtime_and_archive_path, hash}, @timeout) do
         fun = fn ->
           # Make sure the file hasn't been fetched by this point
-          unless File.exists?(local_assets_path) do
+          unless non_empty_dir?(local_assets_path) do
             {:ok, archive_binary} = Runtime.read_file(runtime, archive_path)
             extract_archive!(archive_binary, local_assets_path)
           end
@@ -232,6 +232,10 @@ defmodule Livebook.Session do
     end
   end
 
+  defp non_empty_dir?(path) do
+    match?({:ok, [_ | _]}, File.ls(path))
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Sends notebook attributes update to the server.
   """
@@ -1067,7 +1071,10 @@ defmodule Livebook.Session do
     FileSystem.File.remove(tmp_dir)
   end
 
-  defp local_assets_path(hash) do
+  @doc """
+  Returns a local path to the directory for all assets for hash.
+  """
+  def local_assets_path(hash) do
     Path.join([livebook_tmp_path(), "assets", encode_path_component(hash)])
   end
 
diff --git a/test/livebook_web/controllers/session_controller_test.exs b/test/livebook_web/controllers/session_controller_test.exs
index 70d2815d8..3bc801f29 100644
--- a/test/livebook_web/controllers/session_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/livebook_web/controllers/session_controller_test.exs
@@ -152,6 +152,22 @@ defmodule LivebookWeb.SessionControllerTest do
 
       assert redirected_to(conn, 301) ==
                Routes.session_path(conn, :show_cached_asset, hash, ["main.js"])
+
+      {:ok, asset_path} = Session.local_asset_path(hash, "main.js")
+      assert File.exists?(asset_path)
+    end
+
+    test "fetches assets and redirects even on empty asset directories", %{conn: conn} do
+      %{notebook: notebook, hash: hash} = notebook_with_js_output()
+      assets_path = Session.local_assets_path(hash)
+      File.mkdir_p!(assets_path)
+
+      conn = start_session_and_request_asset(conn, notebook, hash)
+
+      assert redirected_to(conn, 301) ==
+               Routes.session_path(conn, :show_cached_asset, hash, ["main.js"])
+
+      assert File.exists?(Path.join(assets_path, "main.js"))
     end
 
     test "skips the session if assets are in cache", %{conn: conn} do