diff --git a/internal/util/fs.go b/internal/util/fs.go
index 14e6403..6c04f8f 100644
--- a/internal/util/fs.go
+++ b/internal/util/fs.go
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ func MakeLocal(filename, username string, buf []byte) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("file %s already exists: %w", filename, err)
 	}
 
+	if len(buf) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("will not save empty file: %s to FS", filename)
+	}
+
 	f, err := os.Create("/tmp/tmpfile-" + filename + "-" + username) //nolint: gosec
 	// this is set to nolint because I am doing everything os.CreateTemp does but here since I don't like some of the limitations
 	if err != nil {