diff --git a/tests/python_package_test/test_engine.py b/tests/python_package_test/test_engine.py
index cb2e893c9612..ef20b78a40c4 100644
--- a/tests/python_package_test/test_engine.py
+++ b/tests/python_package_test/test_engine.py
@@ -2307,6 +2307,15 @@ def test_refit():
     assert err_pred > new_err_pred
 
 
+def test_refit_with_one_tree():
+    X, y = load_breast_cancer(return_X_y=True)
+    lgb_train = lgb.Dataset(X, label=y)
+    params={"objective": "binary", "num_trees": 1, "verbosity": -1}
+    model = lgb.train(params, lgb_train, num_boost_round=1)
+    model_refit = model.refit(X, y)
+    assert isinstance(model_refit, lgb.Booster)
+
+
 def test_refit_dataset_params(rng):
     # check refit accepts dataset_params
     X, y = load_breast_cancer(return_X_y=True)