diff --git a/xarray/indexes/range_index.py b/xarray/indexes/range_index.py
index 4f8d52f6510..37a0e8a51d9 100644
--- a/xarray/indexes/range_index.py
+++ b/xarray/indexes/range_index.py
@@ -347,7 +347,9 @@ def linspace(
         if coord_name is None:
             coord_name = dim
 
-        if endpoint:
+        if num == 1:
+            stop = start
+        elif endpoint:
             stop += (stop - start) / (num - 1)
 
         transform = RangeCoordinateTransform(