--- coreapi/lpconfig.c	2011-10-16 13:37:39.000000000 +0200
+++ coreapi/lpconfig-modif.c	2011-10-16 13:37:15.000000000 +0200
@@ -218,10 +218,11 @@
 			fclose(lpconfig->file);			
 #if !defined(_WIN32_WCE)
 			/* make existing configuration files non-group/world-accessible */
-			if (chmod(filename, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR) == -1)
-				ms_warning("unable to correct permissions on "
-				  	  "configuration file: %s",
-					   strerror(errno));
+			if (lpconfig->sections!=NULL) /* only if config file is not empty */
+				if (chmod(filename, S_IRUSR | S_IWUSR) == -1)
+					ms_warning("unable to correct permissions on "
+						  "configuration file: %s",
+						   strerror(errno));
 #endif /*_WIN32_WCE*/
 			lpconfig->file=NULL;
 			lpconfig->modified=0;