diff --git a/azchess/data_manager.py b/azchess/data_manager.py
index f1d43e9..ed0816f 100644
--- a/azchess/data_manager.py
+++ b/azchess/data_manager.py
@@ -450,7 +450,14 @@ def _get_tactical_batch(self, batch_size: int) -> Optional[Dict[str, np.ndarray]
         
         try:
             with np.load(tactical_path, allow_pickle=True) as data:
-                indices = np.random.choice(len(data['positions']), batch_size, replace=False)
+                total_positions = len(data['positions'])
+                if total_positions == 0:
+                    logger.warning("Tactical training data is empty")
+                    return None
+                draw_size = min(batch_size, total_positions)
+                replace = batch_size > total_positions
+                target_size = batch_size if replace else draw_size
+                indices = np.random.choice(total_positions, target_size, replace=replace)
                 batch_states = data['positions'][indices]  # curriculum format: (N, 19, 8, 8)
                 batch_policies = data['policy_targets'][indices]  # curriculum format: (N, 4672)
                 batch_values = data['value_targets'][indices]  # curriculum format: (N,)
@@ -496,7 +503,14 @@ def _get_openings_batch(self, batch_size: int) -> Optional[Dict[str, np.ndarray]
         
         try:
             with np.load(openings_path, allow_pickle=True) as data:
-                indices = np.random.choice(len(data['positions']), batch_size, replace=False)
+                total_positions = len(data['positions'])
+                if total_positions == 0:
+                    logger.warning("Openings training data is empty")
+                    return None
+                draw_size = min(batch_size, total_positions)
+                replace = batch_size > total_positions
+                target_size = batch_size if replace else draw_size
+                indices = np.random.choice(total_positions, target_size, replace=replace)
                 batch_states = data['positions'][indices]  # curriculum format: (N, 19, 8, 8)
                 batch_policies = data['policy_targets'][indices]  # curriculum format: (N, 4672)
                 batch_values = data['value_targets'][indices]  # curriculum format: (N,)
diff --git a/tests/test_data_manager_batches.py b/tests/test_data_manager_batches.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fdc693d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_data_manager_batches.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import numpy as np
+import chess
+
+from azchess.data_manager import DataManager
+from azchess.encoding import encode_board
+
+
+POLICY_SIZE = 4672
+
+
+def _write_mock_npz(base_dir, subdir, filename, sample_count):
+    path = base_dir / subdir
+    path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    board = chess.Board()
+    positions = np.stack([encode_board(board) for _ in range(sample_count)], axis=0)
+    policy_targets = np.zeros((sample_count, POLICY_SIZE), dtype=np.float32)
+    value_targets = np.zeros((sample_count,), dtype=np.float32)
+    np.savez(
+        path / filename,
+        positions=positions,
+        policy_targets=policy_targets,
+        value_targets=value_targets,
+    )
+
+
+def test_tactical_batch_handles_small_file(tmp_path):
+    _write_mock_npz(tmp_path, "tactical", "tactical_positions.npz", sample_count=2)
+    manager = DataManager(base_dir=str(tmp_path))
+
+    batch = manager._get_tactical_batch(batch_size=4)
+
+    assert batch is not None
+    assert batch['s'].shape == (4, 19, 8, 8)
+    assert batch['pi'].shape == (4, POLICY_SIZE)
+    assert batch['z'].shape == (4,)
+    assert batch['legal_mask'].shape == (4, POLICY_SIZE)
+
+
+def test_openings_batch_handles_small_file(tmp_path):
+    _write_mock_npz(tmp_path, "openings", "openings_positions.npz", sample_count=1)
+    manager = DataManager(base_dir=str(tmp_path))
+
+    batch = manager._get_openings_batch(batch_size=3)
+
+    assert batch is not None
+    assert batch['s'].shape == (3, 19, 8, 8)
+    assert batch['pi'].shape == (3, POLICY_SIZE)
+    assert batch['z'].shape == (3,)
+    assert batch['legal_mask'].shape == (3, POLICY_SIZE)