2 files changed, 9 insertions, 9 deletions
diff --git a/scripts/build-command-op-templates b/scripts/build-command-op-templates
index c60b32a1e..c285ee594 100755
--- a/scripts/build-command-op-templates
+++ b/scripts/build-command-op-templates
@@ -170,12 +170,11 @@ def process_node(n, tmpl_dir):
           print("Processing node {}".format(name))
 
         nodedef_path = os.path.join(make_path(my_tmpl_dir), "node.def")
-        if not os.path.exists(nodedef_path):
+        # Only create the "node.def" file if it exists but is empty, or if it
+        # does not exist at all.
+        if not os.path.exists(nodedef_path) or os.path.getsize(nodedef_path) == 0:
             with open(nodedef_path, "w") as f:
                 f.write(make_node_def(props, command))
-        else:
-           # Something has already generated this file
-           pass
 
         if children is not None:
             inner_nodes = children.iterfind("*")
diff --git a/scripts/build-command-templates b/scripts/build-command-templates
index d6585b0cc..452c420eb 100755
--- a/scripts/build-command-templates
+++ b/scripts/build-command-templates
@@ -274,13 +274,14 @@ def process_node(n, tmpl_dir):
             raise ValueError("<valueless/> is only allowed in <leafNode>")
 
     nodedef_path = os.path.join(make_path(my_tmpl_dir), "node.def")
-    if not os.path.exists(nodedef_path):
+
+    # Only create the "node.def" file if it exists but is empty, or if it does
+    # not exist at all. An empty node.def file could be generated by XML paths
+    # that derive from one another bot having a common base structure like
+    # "protocols static"
+    if not os.path.exists(nodedef_path) or os.path.getsize(nodedef_path) == 0:
         with open(nodedef_path, "w") as f:
             f.write(make_node_def(props))
-    else:
-        # Something has already generated that file
-        pass
-
 
     if node_type == "node":
         inner_nodes = children.iterfind("*")