diff --git a/packages/vulcan-lib/lib/server/apollo-server/initGraphQL.js b/packages/vulcan-lib/lib/server/apollo-server/initGraphQL.js
index 789ccbe62..e0e73f481 100644
--- a/packages/vulcan-lib/lib/server/apollo-server/initGraphQL.js
+++ b/packages/vulcan-lib/lib/server/apollo-server/initGraphQL.js
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ const initGraphQL = () => {
     resolvers: GraphQLSchema.resolvers,
     schemaDirectives: GraphQLSchema.directives,
   });
-  const mergedSchema = mergeSchemas({ schemas: [executableSchema, ...GraphQLSchema.stitchedSchemas] });
+  // only call mergeSchemas if we actually have stitchedSchemas
+  const mergedSchema = GraphQLSchema.stitchedSchemas.length > 0 ? mergeSchemas({ schemas: [executableSchema, ...GraphQLSchema.stitchedSchemas] }) : executableSchema;
 
   GraphQLSchema.finalSchema = typeDefs;
   GraphQLSchema.executableSchema = mergedSchema;