diff --git a/isic/ingest/migrations/0023_metadatafile_blob_not_empty.py b/isic/ingest/migrations/0023_metadatafile_blob_not_empty.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..37818a7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/isic/ingest/migrations/0023_metadatafile_blob_not_empty.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Generated by Django 5.1.8 on 2025-05-15 17:29
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("ingest", "0022_accession_ingest_acce_image_m_aee960_idx"),
+        migrations.swappable_dependency(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddConstraint(
+            model_name="metadatafile",
+            constraint=models.CheckConstraint(
+                condition=models.Q(("blob", ""), _negated=True), name="blob_not_empty"
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/isic/ingest/models/metadata_file.py b/isic/ingest/models/metadata_file.py
index a4fb51db..44adccbe 100644
--- a/isic/ingest/models/metadata_file.py
+++ b/isic/ingest/models/metadata_file.py
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ class MetadataFile(CreationSortedTimeStampedModel):
     validation_errors = models.TextField(blank=True)
     validation_completed = models.BooleanField(default=False)
 
+    class Meta(CreationSortedTimeStampedModel.Meta):
+        constraints = [models.CheckConstraint(check=~models.Q(blob=""), name="blob_not_empty")]
+
     def __str__(self) -> str:
         return self.blob_name