diff --git a/modules/programs/foot.nix b/modules/programs/foot.nix
index 08b5e3975..8df201fd9 100644
--- a/modules/programs/foot.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/foot.nix
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ in {
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
     home.packages = [ cfg.package ];
 
-    xdg.configFile."foot/foot.ini" = {
+    xdg.configFile."foot/foot.ini" = mkIf (cfg.settings != { }) {
       source = iniFormat.generate "foot.ini" cfg.settings;
     };
 
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/foot/empty-settings.nix b/tests/modules/programs/foot/empty-settings.nix
index 44caeca55..3935fd9dc 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/foot/empty-settings.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/foot/empty-settings.nix
@@ -10,10 +10,7 @@ with lib;
       [ (self: super: { foot = pkgs.writeScriptBin "dummy-foot" ""; }) ];
 
     nmt.script = ''
-      assertFileExists home-files/.config/foot/foot.ini
-      assertFileContent \
-        home-files/.config/foot/foot.ini \
-        ${builtins.toFile "test" ""}
+      assertPathNotExists home-files/.config/foot
     '';
   };
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/foot/systemd-user-service.nix b/tests/modules/programs/foot/systemd-user-service.nix
index 9c131362b..1eff14f9f 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/foot/systemd-user-service.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/foot/systemd-user-service.nix
@@ -11,10 +11,7 @@ in {
     };
 
     nmt.script = ''
-      assertFileExists home-files/.config/foot/foot.ini
-      assertFileContent \
-        home-files/.config/foot/foot.ini \
-        ${builtins.toFile "test" ""}
+      assertPathNotExists home-files/.config/foot/foot.ini
 
       assertFileContent \
         home-files/.config/systemd/user/foot.service \