diff --git a/datasette/cli.py b/datasette/cli.py
index 93aa22ef21..a6bd10a0fd 100644
--- a/datasette/cli.py
+++ b/datasette/cli.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ async def inspect_(files, sqlite_extensions):
     app = Datasette([], immutables=files, sqlite_extensions=sqlite_extensions)
     data = {}
     for name, database in app.databases.items():
-        counts = await database.table_counts(limit=3600 * 1000)
+        counts = await database.table_counts(limit=3600 * 1000, exact=True)
         data[name] = {
             "hash": database.hash,
             "size": database.size,
diff --git a/datasette/database.py b/datasette/database.py
index 66d50ffa50..6c0175e2e1 100644
--- a/datasette/database.py
+++ b/datasette/database.py
@@ -561,25 +561,26 @@ def size(self):
             self.cached_size = Path(self.path).stat().st_size
             return self.cached_size
 
-    async def table_counts(self, limit=10):
+    async def table_counts(self, limit=10, exact=False):
         if not self.is_mutable and self.cached_table_counts is not None:
             return self.cached_table_counts
         # Try to get counts for each table, $limit timeout for each count
         counts = {}
         for table in await self.table_names():
             try:
+                if exact:
+                    sql = f"select count(*) from [{table}]"
+                else:
+                    sql = f"select count(*) from (select * from [{table}] limit {self.count_limit + 1})"
                 table_count = (
-                    await self.execute(
-                        f"select count(*) from (select * from [{table}] limit {self.count_limit + 1})",
-                        custom_time_limit=limit,
-                    )
+                    await self.execute(sql, custom_time_limit=limit)
                 ).rows[0][0]
                 counts[table] = table_count
             # In some cases I saw "SQL Logic Error" here in addition to
             # QueryInterrupted - so we catch that too:
             except (QueryInterrupted, sqlite3.OperationalError, sqlite3.DatabaseError):
                 counts[table] = None
-        if not self.is_mutable:
+        if not self.is_mutable and not exact:
             self._cached_table_counts = counts
         return counts
 
diff --git a/datasette/utils/actions_sql.py b/datasette/utils/actions_sql.py
index e679ae76da..4ce1f9645c 100644
--- a/datasette/utils/actions_sql.py
+++ b/datasette/utils/actions_sql.py
@@ -241,6 +241,20 @@ async def _build_single_action_sql(
                     "),",
                 ]
             )
+        else:
+            # The anon_*_lvl CTEs below LEFT JOIN anon_rules unconditionally,
+            # so when no anonymous rules are produced (e.g. --default-deny
+            # without a config file) we still need an empty CTE with the
+            # expected columns. Without it the whole permissions query is
+            # invalid SQL and the index pages 500.
+            query_parts.extend(
+                [
+                    "anon_rules AS (",
+                    "  SELECT NULL AS parent, NULL AS child, NULL AS allow,",
+                    "         NULL AS reason, NULL AS source_plugin WHERE 0",
+                    "),",
+                ]
+            )
 
     # Continue with the cascading logic
     query_parts.extend(
diff --git a/tests/test_default_deny.py b/tests/test_default_deny.py
index 81e95b845b..9f797fe3e2 100644
--- a/tests/test_default_deny.py
+++ b/tests/test_default_deny.py
@@ -127,3 +127,25 @@ async def test_default_deny_basic_permissions():
 
     # Authenticated user without explicit permission should also be denied
     assert await ds.allowed(action="view-instance", actor={"id": "user"}) is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_default_deny_no_config_index_pages_dont_500():
+    """Regression for #2644: root visiting the index pages on a --default-deny
+    instance without any config file used to return 500 because the anon_rules
+    CTE was conditionally emitted but unconditionally referenced."""
+    ds = Datasette(default_deny=True)
+    ds.root_enabled = True
+    await ds.invoke_startup()
+
+    db = ds.add_memory_database("test_db_no_config")
+    await db.execute_write("create table test_table (id integer primary key)")
+    await ds._refresh_schemas()
+
+    cookies = {"ds_actor": ds.client.actor_cookie({"id": "root"})}
+
+    response = await ds.client.get("/", cookies=cookies)
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    response = await ds.client.get("/test_db_no_config", cookies=cookies)
+    assert response.status_code == 200