diff --git a/src/freedombone b/src/freedombone
index a4a9d689..9c57635b 100755
--- a/src/freedombone
+++ b/src/freedombone
@@ -4779,19 +4779,22 @@ function time_synchronisation {
   echo '# If the date was previously set' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
   echo 'if [ -s "$BEFORE_DATE_FILE" ]; then' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
   echo '    BEFORE_FILE=$(cat $BEFORE_DATE_FILE)' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '    BEFORE_FULLDATE=$(cat $BEFORE_FULLDATE_FILE)' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '    # is the date going backwards?' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '    if (( $BEFORE_FILE > $BEFORE )); then' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        echo -n "Date went backwards between tlsdate updates. " >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        echo -n "$BEFORE_FILE > $BEFORE, " >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        echo "$BEFORE_FULLDATE > $DATE_BEFORE" >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        # Send a warning email' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        echo $(tail $LOGFILE -n 2) | mail -s "tlsdate anomaly" $EMAIL' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        # Try another time source' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        TIMESOURCE=$TIMESOURCE2' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        # try running without any parameters' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        tlsdate >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
-  echo '        BACKWARDS_BETWEEN=1' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '    filesize=$(wc -c "$BEFORE_DATE_FILE" | cut -f 1 -d " ")' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '    if [ $filesize -ge 5 ]; then' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '        BEFORE_FULLDATE=$(cat $BEFORE_FULLDATE_FILE)' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '        # is the date going backwards?' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '        if (( $BEFORE_FILE > $BEFORE )); then' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            echo -n "Date went backwards between tlsdate updates. " >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            echo -n "$BEFORE_FILE > $BEFORE, " >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            echo "$BEFORE_FULLDATE > $DATE_BEFORE" >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            # Send a warning email' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            echo $(tail $LOGFILE -n 2) | mail -s "tlsdate anomaly" $EMAIL' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            # Try another time source' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            TIMESOURCE=$TIMESOURCE2' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            # try running without any parameters' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            tlsdate >> $LOGFILE' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '            BACKWARDS_BETWEEN=1' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
+  echo '        fi' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
   echo '    fi' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
   echo 'fi' >> /usr/bin/updatedate
   echo '# Set the date' >> /usr/bin/updatedate