diff --git a/swift/obj/reconstructor.py b/swift/obj/reconstructor.py
index 67b371a27d..0e8d11f966 100644
--- a/swift/obj/reconstructor.py
+++ b/swift/obj/reconstructor.py
@@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@ class ObjectReconstructor(Daemon):
         policy2devices = self.get_policy2devices()
         return reduce(set.union, (
             set(d['device'] for d in devices)
-            for devices in policy2devices.values()))
+            for devices in policy2devices.values()), set())
 
     def collect_parts(self, override_devices=None, override_partitions=None):
         """
diff --git a/test/unit/obj/test_reconstructor.py b/test/unit/obj/test_reconstructor.py
index be705a7a64..5fd75dc8d0 100644
--- a/test/unit/obj/test_reconstructor.py
+++ b/test/unit/obj/test_reconstructor.py
@@ -3856,6 +3856,20 @@ class TestObjectReconstructor(BaseTestObjectReconstructor):
         # hashpath is still there, but it's empty
         self.assertEqual([], os.listdir(df._datadir))
 
+    def test_get_local_devices(self):
+        local_devs = self.reconstructor.get_local_devices()
+        self.assertEqual({'sda'}, local_devs)
+
+    @patch_policies(legacy_only=True)
+    def test_get_local_devices_with_no_ec_policy_env(self):
+        # even no ec_policy found on the server, it runs just like as
+        # no ec device found
+        self.policy = POLICIES.default
+        self._configure_reconstructor()
+        self.assertEqual([], self.reconstructor.policies)
+        local_devs = self.reconstructor.get_local_devices()
+        self.assertEqual(set(), local_devs)
+
 
 class TestReconstructFragmentArchive(BaseTestObjectReconstructor):
     obj_path = '/a/c/o'  # subclass overrides this