diff --git a/include/common/qvec.hh b/include/common/qvec.hh
index 19b7d6f1..7066b02c 100644
--- a/include/common/qvec.hh
+++ b/include/common/qvec.hh
@@ -545,7 +545,8 @@ template<typename Iter, typename T = typename std::iterator_traits<Iter>::value_
 template<typename Iter, typename T = typename std::iterator_traits<Iter>::value_type, typename F = typename T::value_type>
 [[nodiscard]] inline F PolyArea(Iter begin, Iter end)
 {
-    Q_assert((end - begin) >= 3);
+    if ((end - begin) < 3)
+        return static_cast<F>(0);
 
     float poly_area = 0;
 
diff --git a/light/test_light.cc b/light/test_light.cc
index cc3613e6..7c3c36b5 100644
--- a/light/test_light.cc
+++ b/light/test_light.cc
@@ -196,6 +196,11 @@ TEST(mathlib, PolygonArea)
         {0, 64, 0}, {64, 64, 0}, {64, 0, 0}};
 
     EXPECT_EQ(64.0f * 64.0f, qv::PolyArea(poly.begin(), poly.end()));
+
+    // 0, 1, or 2 vertices return 0 area
+    EXPECT_EQ(0.0f, qv::PolyArea(poly.begin(), poly.begin()));
+    EXPECT_EQ(0.0f, qv::PolyArea(poly.begin(), poly.begin() + 1));
+    EXPECT_EQ(0.0f, qv::PolyArea(poly.begin(), poly.begin() + 2));
 }
 
 TEST(mathlib, BarycentricFromPoint)