Can we read empty VSAM file using COBOL

Can we read empty VSAM file using COBOL

We know that we face abend when we try to read an empty vsam file in a cobol program, some file status 35 comes.

We generally would place a low value record (null record as we refer) to overcome this problem.

But I fail to understand what could be the logic behind this restriction.

“; ; ; ;

The only thing that I could think of, is that if vsam is empty then we do not have any value for the key and thus is not readable, but when we put a null record then the first record can be read. Please let me know if you agree with this.