diff --git a/tasks/task_content.c b/tasks/task_content.c
index d950c3d4c9..3c2cdbad14 100644
--- a/tasks/task_content.c
+++ b/tasks/task_content.c
@@ -1422,7 +1422,7 @@ static bool content_file_init(struct string_list *temporary_content)
    if (!content)
       goto error;
 
-   if (!init_content_file_set_attribs(temporary_content,
+   if (special && !init_content_file_set_attribs(temporary_content,
             content, system, special))
       goto error;