diff --git a/src/vpp/stats/stat_segment.c b/src/vpp/stats/stat_segment.c
index 9e27e69a331..78b34ed8265 100644
--- a/src/vpp/stats/stat_segment.c
+++ b/src/vpp/stats/stat_segment.c
@@ -558,13 +558,14 @@ do_stat_segment_updates (stat_segment_main_t * sm)
   if (PREDICT_FALSE (num_worker_threads_set == 0))
     {
       void *oldheap = clib_mem_set_heap (sm->heap);
+      int workers = clib_max (1, vec_len (vlib_mains) - 1);
       vlib_stat_segment_lock ();
 
-      sm->directory_vector[STAT_COUNTER_NUM_WORKER_THREADS].value =
-	vec_len (vlib_mains) > 1 ? vec_len (vlib_mains) - 1 : 1;
+      sm->directory_vector[STAT_COUNTER_NUM_WORKER_THREADS].value = workers;
 
       stat_validate_counter_vector (&sm->directory_vector
-				    [STAT_COUNTER_VECTOR_RATE_PER_WORKER], 0);
+				    [STAT_COUNTER_VECTOR_RATE_PER_WORKER],
+				    workers);
       num_worker_threads_set = 1;
       vlib_stat_segment_unlock ();
       clib_mem_set_heap (oldheap);