diff --git a/features/media-regenerate.feature b/features/media-regenerate.feature
index 944f0c07..51d4bd3b 100644
--- a/features/media-regenerate.feature
+++ b/features/media-regenerate.feature
@@ -1561,6 +1561,7 @@ Feature: Regenerate WordPress attachments
     # Make canola.jpg fail.
     Given a wp-content/uploads/canola.jpg file:
       """
+      We need to have some bytes at least to avoid a PHP notice in exif_imagetype().
       """
 
     When I try `WP_CLI_TEST_MEDIA_REGENERATE_PDF=1 wp media regenerate --yes`
diff --git a/src/Media_Command.php b/src/Media_Command.php
index 45c303d1..38a0f211 100644
--- a/src/Media_Command.php
+++ b/src/Media_Command.php
@@ -605,6 +605,14 @@ private function process_regeneration( $id, $skip_delete, $only_missing, $image_
 			return;
 		}
 
+		// On read error, we might only get the filesize returned and nothing else.
+		if ( 1 === count( $metadata ) && array_key_exists( 'filesize', $metadata ) && ! ( $is_pdf && $image_size ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::warning( sprintf( 'Read error while retrieving metadata. (ID %d)', $id ) );
+			WP_CLI::log( "$progress Couldn't regenerate thumbnails for $att_desc." );
+			$errors++;
+			return;
+		}
+
 		if ( $image_size ) {
 			if ( $this->update_attachment_metadata_for_image_size( $id, $metadata, $image_size ) ) {
 				WP_CLI::log( "$progress Regenerated $thumbnail_desc for $att_desc." );