diff --git a/scripts/base/utils/active-http.bro b/scripts/base/utils/active-http.bro
index 9f62e7bbaa..1bc390d6d6 100644
--- a/scripts/base/utils/active-http.bro
+++ b/scripts/base/utils/active-http.bro
@@ -65,12 +65,14 @@ function request2curl(r: Request, bodyfile: string, headersfile: string): string
 	cmd = fmt("%s -m %.0f", cmd, r$max_time);
 
 	if ( r?$client_data )
-		cmd = fmt("%s -d -", cmd);
+		cmd = fmt("%s -d @-", cmd);
 
 	if ( r?$addl_curl_args )
 		cmd = fmt("%s %s", cmd, r$addl_curl_args);
 
 	cmd = fmt("%s \"%s\"", cmd, str_shell_escape(r$url));
+	# hack so the bodyfile will exsist even if curl did not write one.
+	cmd = fmt("%s && touch %s", cmd, str_shell_escape(bodyfile));
 	return cmd;
 	}
 
diff --git a/scripts/base/utils/exec.bro b/scripts/base/utils/exec.bro
index 12f5a0087b..dd992a63cc 100644
--- a/scripts/base/utils/exec.bro
+++ b/scripts/base/utils/exec.bro
@@ -106,6 +106,16 @@ event Input::end_of_data(name: string, source:string)
 
 	local track_file = parts[2];
 
+	# If the file is empty, add it to the result$files table
+	# this is needed because it is expected that the file was read
+	# even if it was empty
+	local result = results[name];
+	if ( ! result?$files )
+		result$files = table();
+
+	if ( track_file !in result$files )
+		result$files[track_file] = vector(source);
+
 	Input::remove(name);
 
 	if ( name !in pending_files )