diff --git a/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/map_builder_bridge.cc b/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/map_builder_bridge.cc
index 207b871..f8658f8 100644
--- a/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/map_builder_bridge.cc
+++ b/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/map_builder_bridge.cc
@@ -178,9 +178,6 @@ void MapBuilderBridge::HandleSubmapQuery(
     return;
   }
 
-  CHECK(response_proto.textures_size() > 0)
-      << "empty textures given for submap: " << submap_id;
-
   response.submap_version = response_proto.submap_version();
   for (const auto& texture_proto : response_proto.textures()) {
     response.textures.emplace_back();
diff --git a/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/submap.cc b/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/submap.cc
index c05ecfb..4a679f1 100644
--- a/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/submap.cc
+++ b/cartographer_ros/cartographer_ros/submap.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ std::unique_ptr<::cartographer::io::SubmapTextures> FetchSubmapTextures(
       srv.response.status.code != ::cartographer_ros_msgs::StatusCode::OK) {
     return nullptr;
   }
-  CHECK(!srv.response.textures.empty());
+  if (srv.response.textures.empty()) {
+    return nullptr;
+  }
   auto response =
       ::cartographer::common::make_unique<::cartographer::io::SubmapTextures>();
   response->version = srv.response.submap_version;