diff --git a/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/AnnotationRule.kt b/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/AnnotationRule.kt
index e5f2d11ef7..cdc892f1dc 100644
--- a/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/AnnotationRule.kt
+++ b/ktlint-ruleset-standard/src/main/kotlin/com/pinterest/ktlint/ruleset/standard/AnnotationRule.kt
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ class AnnotationRule : Rule("annotation") {
             root.children()
                 .mapNotNull { it.psi as? KtAnnotationEntry }
                 .toList()
-        check(!annotations.isEmpty()) { "Annotations list should not be empty" }
+        if (annotations.isEmpty()) {
+            return
+        }
 
         // Join the nodes that immediately follow the annotations (whitespace), then add the final whitespace
         // if it's not a child of root. This happens when a new line separates the annotations from the annotated