diff --git a/tests/io/test_readwrite.py b/tests/io/test_readwrite.py
index 046baf3b..d3b350aa 100644
--- a/tests/io/test_readwrite.py
+++ b/tests/io/test_readwrite.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from numpy.random import default_rng
 from shapely.geometry import Point
 from spatial_image import SpatialImage
+
 from spatialdata import SpatialData
 from spatialdata._io._utils import _are_directories_identical
 from spatialdata.models import TableModel
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@
     set_transformation,
 )
 from spatialdata.transformations.transformations import Identity, Scale
-
 from tests.conftest import _get_images, _get_labels, _get_points, _get_shapes
 
 RNG = default_rng()
@@ -238,6 +238,18 @@ def test_replace_transformation_on_disk_non_raster(self, shapes, points):
                 t1 = get_transformation(SpatialData.read(f).__getattribute__(k)[elem_name])
                 assert type(t1) == Scale
 
+    def test_overwrite_files_without_backed_data(self, full_sdata):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            f = os.path.join(tmpdir, "data.zarr")
+            old_data = SpatialData()
+            old_data.write(f)
+            # Since not backed, no risk of overwriting backing data. Should not raise.
+            try:
+                full_sdata.write(f, overwrite=True)
+            except Exception as e:
+                assert "The file path specified is the same as the one used for backing" not in str(e)
+                raise  # Let other unexpected exceptions bubble up
+
     def test_overwrite_files_with_backed_data(self, full_sdata):
         # addressing https://github.com/scverse/spatialdata/issues/137
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir: