diff --git a/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh b/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..8c35e86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+
+test_description='todo.sh configuration with a sole todo.txt data file.
+
+This test covers turning off done.txt and report.txt, and
+checks that no such empty files are created.
+'
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+cat > test.cfg << EOF
+export TODO_DIR=.
+export TODO_FILE="\$TODO_DIR/todo.txt"
+export DONE_FILE=/dev/null
+export REPORT_FILE=/dev/null
+export TMP_FILE="\$TODO_DIR/todo.tmp"
+touch used_config
+EOF
+
+test_todo_session 'invoke todo.sh' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -d test.cfg add notice the daisies
+1 notice the daisies
+TODO: 1 added.
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'the todo file has been created' '[ -e todo.txt ]'
+test_expect_success 'no done file has been created' '[ ! -e done.txt ]'
+test_expect_success 'no report file has been created' '[ ! -e report.txt ]'
+
+test_todo_session 'perform archive' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -A -d test.cfg do 1
+1 x 2009-02-13 notice the daisies
+TODO: 1 marked as done.
+x 2009-02-13 notice the daisies
+TODO: ./todo.txt archived.
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'no done file has been created by the archiving' '[ ! -e done.txt ]'
+
+test_todo_session 'perform report' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -d test.cfg report
+TODO: ./todo.txt archived.
+2009-02-13T04:40:00 0 0
+TODO: Report file updated.
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'no report file has been created by the reporting' '[ ! -e report.txt ]'
+
+test_done
diff --git a/todo.sh b/todo.sh
index 25078fb..7cecd7c 100755
--- a/todo.sh
+++ b/todo.sh
@@ -709,9 +709,9 @@ ACTION=${1:-$TODOTXT_DEFAULT_ACTION}
 [ -d "$TODO_DIR" ]  || dieWithHelp "$1" "Fatal Error: $TODO_DIR is not a directory"
 ( cd "$TODO_DIR" )  || dieWithHelp "$1" "Fatal Error: Unable to cd to $TODO_DIR"
 
-[ -f "$TODO_FILE" ] || cp /dev/null "$TODO_FILE"
-[ -f "$DONE_FILE" ] || cp /dev/null "$DONE_FILE"
-[ -f "$REPORT_FILE" ] || cp /dev/null "$REPORT_FILE"
+[ -f "$TODO_FILE" -o -c "$TODO_FILE" ] || > "$TODO_FILE"
+[ -f "$DONE_FILE" -o -c "$DONE_FILE" ] || > "$DONE_FILE"
+[ -f "$REPORT_FILE" -o -c "$REPORT_FILE" ] || > "$REPORT_FILE"
 
 if [ $TODOTXT_PLAIN = 1 ]; then
     for clr in ${!PRI_@}; do