diff --git a/lib/installer.php b/lib/installer.php
index 2eff2d85ac..c046eadea3 100644
--- a/lib/installer.php
+++ b/lib/installer.php
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ abstract class Installer
         $config = INSTALLDIR.'/config.php';
         if (file_exists($config)) {
             if (!is_writable($config) || filesize($config) > 0) {
-                $this->warning('Config file "config.php" already exists.');
+                if (filesize($config) == 0) {
+                    $this->warning('Config file "config.php" already exists and is empty, but is not writable.');
+                } else {
+                    $this->warning('Config file "config.php" already exists.');
+                }
                 $pass = false;
             }
         }
diff --git a/lib/statusnet.php b/lib/statusnet.php
index 7212a4a47d..7cb831696b 100644
--- a/lib/statusnet.php
+++ b/lib/statusnet.php
@@ -336,8 +336,11 @@ class StatusNet
 
         foreach ($config_files as $_config_file) {
             if (@file_exists($_config_file)) {
-                include($_config_file);
-                self::$have_config = true;
+                // Ignore 0-byte config files
+                if (filesize($_config_file) > 0) {
+                    include($_config_file);
+                    self::$have_config = true;
+                }
             }
         }