diff --git a/lisp/ob-tangle.el b/lisp/ob-tangle.el
index 36144d6ae..c041ff4b3 100644
--- a/lisp/ob-tangle.el
+++ b/lisp/ob-tangle.el
@@ -270,9 +270,10 @@ matching a regular expression."
 		     (make-directory fnd 'parents))
                    ;; erase previous file and set permissions on empty
                    ;; file before writing
-                   (write-region "" nil file-name nil 0)
-		   (mapc (lambda (mode) (set-file-modes file-name mode)) modes)
+                   (when (file-exists-p file-name)
+                     (delete-file file-name))
 		   (write-region nil nil file-name)
+		   (mapc (lambda (mode) (set-file-modes file-name mode)) modes)
                    (push file-name path-collector))))))
 	 (if (equal arg '(4))
 	     (org-babel-tangle-single-block 1 t)