diff --git a/src/uu/truncate/src/truncate.rs b/src/uu/truncate/src/truncate.rs
index c0e38f59b..7af25085f 100644
--- a/src/uu/truncate/src/truncate.rs
+++ b/src/uu/truncate/src/truncate.rs
@@ -178,13 +178,26 @@ pub fn uu_app() -> Command {
 ///
 /// If the file could not be opened, or there was a problem setting the
 /// size of the file.
-fn file_truncate(filename: &str, create: bool, size: u64) -> std::io::Result<()> {
+fn file_truncate(filename: &str, create: bool, size: u64) -> UResult<()> {
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    if let Ok(metadata) = std::fs::metadata(filename) {
+        if metadata.file_type().is_fifo() {
+            return Err(USimpleError::new(
+                1,
+                format!(
+                    "cannot open {} for writing: No such device or address",
+                    filename.quote()
+                ),
+            ));
+        }
+    }
     let path = Path::new(filename);
     match OpenOptions::new().write(true).create(create).open(path) {
         Ok(file) => file.set_len(size),
         Err(e) if e.kind() == ErrorKind::NotFound && !create => Ok(()),
         Err(e) => Err(e),
     }
+    .map_err_context(|| format!("cannot open {} for writing", filename.quote()))
 }
 
 /// Truncate files to a size relative to a given file.
@@ -236,19 +249,7 @@ fn truncate_reference_and_size(
     let fsize = metadata.len();
     let tsize = mode.to_size(fsize);
     for filename in filenames {
-        #[cfg(unix)]
-        if std::fs::metadata(filename)?.file_type().is_fifo() {
-            return Err(USimpleError::new(
-                1,
-                format!(
-                    "cannot open {} for writing: No such device or address",
-                    filename.quote()
-                ),
-            ));
-        }
-
-        file_truncate(filename, create, tsize)
-            .map_err_context(|| format!("cannot open {} for writing", filename.quote()))?;
+        file_truncate(filename, create, tsize)?;
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -283,18 +284,7 @@ fn truncate_reference_file_only(
     })?;
     let tsize = metadata.len();
     for filename in filenames {
-        #[cfg(unix)]
-        if std::fs::metadata(filename)?.file_type().is_fifo() {
-            return Err(USimpleError::new(
-                1,
-                format!(
-                    "cannot open {} for writing: No such device or address",
-                    filename.quote()
-                ),
-            ));
-        }
-        file_truncate(filename, create, tsize)
-            .map_err_context(|| format!("cannot open {} for writing", filename.quote()))?;
+        file_truncate(filename, create, tsize)?;
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -340,8 +330,8 @@ fn truncate_size_only(size_string: &str, filenames: &[String], create: bool) ->
             Err(_) => 0,
         };
         let tsize = mode.to_size(fsize);
-        file_truncate(filename, create, tsize)
-            .map_err_context(|| format!("cannot open {} for writing", filename.quote()))?;
+        // TODO: Fix duplicate call to stat
+        file_truncate(filename, create, tsize)?;
     }
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_truncate.rs b/tests/by-util/test_truncate.rs
index 41a28736d..e6a128186 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_truncate.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_truncate.rs
@@ -266,6 +266,36 @@ fn test_new_file() {
     assert_eq!(at.read_bytes(filename), vec![b'\0'; 8]);
 }
 
+/// Test that truncating a non-existent file creates that file, even in reference-mode.
+#[test]
+fn test_new_file_reference() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    let mut old_file = at.make_file(FILE1);
+    old_file.write_all(b"1234567890").unwrap();
+    let filename = "new_file_that_does_not_exist_yet";
+    ucmd.args(&["-r", FILE1, filename])
+        .succeeds()
+        .no_stdout()
+        .no_stderr();
+    assert!(at.file_exists(filename));
+    assert_eq!(at.read_bytes(filename), vec![b'\0'; 10]);
+}
+
+/// Test that truncating a non-existent file creates that file, even in size-and-reference-mode.
+#[test]
+fn test_new_file_size_and_reference() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    let mut old_file = at.make_file(FILE1);
+    old_file.write_all(b"1234567890").unwrap();
+    let filename = "new_file_that_does_not_exist_yet";
+    ucmd.args(&["-s", "+3", "-r", FILE1, filename])
+        .succeeds()
+        .no_stdout()
+        .no_stderr();
+    assert!(at.file_exists(filename));
+    assert_eq!(at.read_bytes(filename), vec![b'\0'; 13]);
+}
+
 /// Test for not creating a non-existent file.
 #[test]
 fn test_new_file_no_create_size_only() {
@@ -280,7 +310,6 @@ fn test_new_file_no_create_size_only() {
 
 /// Test for not creating a non-existent file.
 #[test]
-#[ignore = "other bug"]
 fn test_new_file_no_create_reference_only() {
     let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
     let mut old_file = at.make_file(FILE1);
@@ -295,7 +324,6 @@ fn test_new_file_no_create_reference_only() {
 
 /// Test for not creating a non-existent file.
 #[test]
-#[ignore = "other bug"]
 fn test_new_file_no_create_size_and_reference() {
     let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
     let mut old_file = at.make_file(FILE1);