diff --git a/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c b/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c
index 791912da97d7487d99c618ce8ac6f5fbe3cd11fb..716ed337f1663ddfaf0729c5d8275b0366308f19 100644
--- a/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c
+++ b/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c
@@ -440,6 +440,9 @@ static ssize_t orangefs_debug_write(struct file *file,
 		"orangefs_debug_write: %pD\n",
 		file);
 
+	if (count == 0)
+		return 0;
+
 	/*
 	 * Thwart users who try to jamb a ridiculous number
 	 * of bytes into the debug file...