diff --git a/src/storage/adapters/fileSystemStorage.ts b/src/storage/adapters/fileSystemStorage.ts
index 6529447b..ccf3c622 100644
--- a/src/storage/adapters/fileSystemStorage.ts
+++ b/src/storage/adapters/fileSystemStorage.ts
@@ -1641,13 +1641,17 @@ export class FileSystemStorage extends BaseStorage {
   ): StatisticsData {
     // Handle null cases
     if (!storageStats && !localStats) {
+      // CRITICAL FIX (v3.37.4): Statistics files don't exist yet (first init)
+      // Return minimal stats with counts instead of zeros
+      // This prevents HNSW from seeing entityCount=0 during index rebuild
       return {
         nounCount: {},
         verbCount: {},
         metadataCount: {},
         hnswIndexSize: 0,
-        totalNodes: 0,
-        totalEdges: 0,
+        totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+        totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+        totalMetadata: 0,
         lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/storage/adapters/gcsStorage.ts b/src/storage/adapters/gcsStorage.ts
index 8b0942d9..f8a27122 100644
--- a/src/storage/adapters/gcsStorage.ts
+++ b/src/storage/adapters/gcsStorage.ts
@@ -1543,8 +1543,20 @@ export class GcsStorage extends BaseStorage {
       }
     } catch (error: any) {
       if (error.code === 404) {
-        this.logger.trace('Statistics not found (creating new)')
-        return null
+        // CRITICAL FIX (v3.37.4): Statistics file doesn't exist yet (first restart)
+        // Return minimal stats with counts instead of null
+        // This prevents HNSW from seeing entityCount=0 during index rebuild
+        this.logger.trace('Statistics file not found - returning minimal stats with counts')
+        return {
+          nounCount: {},
+          verbCount: {},
+          metadataCount: {},
+          hnswIndexSize: 0,
+          totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+          totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+          totalMetadata: 0,
+          lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
+        }
       }
 
       this.logger.error('Failed to get statistics:', error)
diff --git a/src/storage/adapters/memoryStorage.ts b/src/storage/adapters/memoryStorage.ts
index 8625c831..4dee05ee 100644
--- a/src/storage/adapters/memoryStorage.ts
+++ b/src/storage/adapters/memoryStorage.ts
@@ -682,7 +682,19 @@ export class MemoryStorage extends BaseStorage {
    */
   protected async getStatisticsData(): Promise<StatisticsData | null> {
     if (!this.statistics) {
-      return null
+      // CRITICAL FIX (v3.37.4): Statistics don't exist yet (first init)
+      // Return minimal stats with counts instead of null
+      // This prevents HNSW from seeing entityCount=0 during index rebuild
+      return {
+        nounCount: {},
+        verbCount: {},
+        metadataCount: {},
+        hnswIndexSize: 0,
+        totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+        totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+        totalMetadata: 0,
+        lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
+      }
     }
 
     // Return a deep copy to avoid reference issues
diff --git a/src/storage/adapters/opfsStorage.ts b/src/storage/adapters/opfsStorage.ts
index 72a449f6..ab1fd865 100644
--- a/src/storage/adapters/opfsStorage.ts
+++ b/src/storage/adapters/opfsStorage.ts
@@ -1438,14 +1438,38 @@ export class OPFSStorage extends BaseStorage {
               }
             }
           } catch (error) {
-            // If the legacy file doesn't exist either, return null
-            return null
+            // CRITICAL FIX (v3.37.4): No statistics files exist (first init)
+            // Return minimal stats with counts instead of null
+            // This prevents HNSW from seeing entityCount=0 during index rebuild
+            return {
+              nounCount: {},
+              verbCount: {},
+              metadataCount: {},
+              hnswIndexSize: 0,
+              totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+              totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+              totalMetadata: 0,
+              lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
+            }
           }
         }
       }
 
-      // If we get here and statistics is null, return default statistics
-      return this.statistics ? this.statistics : null
+      // If we get here and statistics is null, return minimal stats with counts
+      if (!this.statistics) {
+        return {
+          nounCount: {},
+          verbCount: {},
+          metadataCount: {},
+          hnswIndexSize: 0,
+          totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+          totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+          totalMetadata: 0,
+          lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
+        }
+      }
+
+      return this.statistics
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Failed to get statistics data:', error)
       throw new Error(`Failed to get statistics data: ${error}`)
diff --git a/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts b/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts
index b33c0ffe..661545e6 100644
--- a/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts
+++ b/src/storage/adapters/s3CompatibleStorage.ts
@@ -2803,6 +2803,20 @@ export class S3CompatibleStorage extends BaseStorage {
         }
       }
 
+      // If we get here and statistics is null, return minimal stats with counts
+      if (!statistics) {
+        return {
+          nounCount: {},
+          verbCount: {},
+          metadataCount: {},
+          hnswIndexSize: 0,
+          totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+          totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+          totalMetadata: 0,
+          lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
+        }
+      }
+
       // Successfully loaded statistics from storage
 
       return statistics
@@ -2817,7 +2831,19 @@ export class S3CompatibleStorage extends BaseStorage {
           totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount
         }
       }
-      return null
+      // CRITICAL FIX (v3.37.4): Statistics file doesn't exist yet (first restart)
+      // Return minimal stats with counts instead of null
+      // This prevents HNSW from seeing entityCount=0 during index rebuild
+      return {
+        nounCount: {},
+        verbCount: {},
+        metadataCount: {},
+        hnswIndexSize: 0,
+        totalNodes: this.totalNounCount,
+        totalEdges: this.totalVerbCount,
+        totalMetadata: 0,
+        lastUpdated: new Date().toISOString()
+      }
     }
   }