diff --git a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/cursor b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/cursor
index 896b07e5f0e2..dba02eca4620 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/cursor
+++ b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/cursor
@@ -943,3 +943,20 @@ statement ok
 CLOSE foo;
 
 subtest end
+
+# Regression test for FETCH FIRST on a persisted WITH HOLD cursor over an
+# empty result set returning an internal error instead of zero rows (#171238).
+subtest regression_171238
+
+statement ok
+BEGIN;
+DECLARE foo_first CURSOR WITH HOLD FOR SELECT * FROM empty;
+COMMIT;
+
+query empty
+FETCH FIRST FROM foo_first;
+
+statement ok
+CLOSE foo_first;
+
+subtest end
diff --git a/pkg/sql/sql_cursor.go b/pkg/sql/sql_cursor.go
index 4436ed3fdceb..1496e2b552c2 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/sql_cursor.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/sql_cursor.go
@@ -288,8 +288,8 @@ func (b *fetchMoveNodeBase) nextInternal(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
 		case tree.FetchFirst:
 			switch b.cursor.curRow {
 			case 0:
-				_, err := b.cursor.Next(ctx)
-				return true, err
+				more, err := b.cursor.Next(ctx)
+				return more, err
 			case 1:
 				return true, nil
 			}