diff --git a/Userland/Utilities/utmpupdate.cpp b/Userland/Utilities/utmpupdate.cpp
index c055559b7e..cb18839f7b 100644
--- a/Userland/Utilities/utmpupdate.cpp
+++ b/Userland/Utilities/utmpupdate.cpp
@@ -80,10 +80,12 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
     JsonObject json;
 
-    if (!previous_json.has_value() || !previous_json.value().is_object()) {
-        dbgln("Error: Could not parse JSON");
-    } else {
-        json = previous_json.value().as_object();
+    if (!file_contents.is_empty()) {
+        if (!previous_json.has_value() || !previous_json.value().is_object()) {
+            dbgln("Error: Could not parse JSON");
+        } else {
+            json = previous_json.value().as_object();
+        }
     }
 
     if (flag_create) {