diff --git a/src/aind_data_schema/core/quality_control.py b/src/aind_data_schema/core/quality_control.py
index 8830c66ba..ee656263a 100644
--- a/src/aind_data_schema/core/quality_control.py
+++ b/src/aind_data_schema/core/quality_control.py
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ def fix_default_grouping_list(cls, value: dict) -> dict:
         This function is for backwards compatibility with v2.2.X where default_grouping was stored as a list of strings.
         Remove this function in aind-data-schema v3.X
         """
-        if "default_grouping" not in value:
+        if "default_grouping" not in value or "metrics" not in value or len(value["metrics"]) == 0:
             return value
 
         if all(isinstance(item, str) for item in value["default_grouping"]):
diff --git a/tests/test_quality_control.py b/tests/test_quality_control.py
index 0120a6db0..d4292d8bd 100644
--- a/tests/test_quality_control.py
+++ b/tests/test_quality_control.py
@@ -869,6 +869,18 @@ def test_new_format_default_grouping_mixed(self):
         # Tags should remain as dict
         self.assertEqual(qc_new.metrics[0].tags, {"group": "test_group", "probe": "probeA", "shank": "shank1"})
 
+    def test_empty_metrics_does_not_convert_default_grouping(self):
+        """Test that fix_default_grouping_list does not alter default_grouping when metrics is empty"""
+
+        empty_metrics_dict = {
+            "metrics": [],
+            "default_grouping": ["group1", "group2"],
+        }
+
+        qc = QualityControl.model_validate(empty_metrics_dict)
+
+        self.assertEqual(qc.default_grouping, ["group1", "group2"])
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()