diff --git a/server/src/services/company-skills.ts b/server/src/services/company-skills.ts
index c6da9f8bb86..0c4f5df645d 100644
--- a/server/src/services/company-skills.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/company-skills.ts
@@ -6143,6 +6143,8 @@ export function companySkillService(db: Db, options: { actor?: AuthorizationActo
     companyId: string,
     options: RuntimeSkillEntryOptions = {},
   ): Promise<PaperclipSkillEntry[]> {
+    if (options.onlyKeys?.size === 0 || (!options.onlyKeys && options.selectionConfig && !options.includeLegacy
+      && readPaperclipSkillSyncPreference(options.selectionConfig).desiredSkills.length === 0)) return [];
     const skills = await listFull(companyId);
     const selectedKeys = options.onlyKeys ?? (options.selectionConfig ? new Set(
       (options.includeLegacy ? resolveLegacyPaperclipDesiredSkillNames : resolvePaperclipDesiredSkillNames)(