diff --git a/comicinfoxml.py b/comicinfoxml.py
index 0d93204..99a51f5 100644
--- a/comicinfoxml.py
+++ b/comicinfoxml.py
@@ -124,7 +124,10 @@ def get_metadata_string(self, archive: Archiver) -> str:
 
     def set_metadata(self, metadata: GenericMetadata, archive: Archiver) -> bool:
         if self.supports_metadata(archive):
-            return archive.write_file(self.file, self._bytes_from_metadata(metadata, archive.read_file(self.file)))
+            xml = b''
+            if self.has_metadata(archive):
+                xml = archive.read_file(self.file)
+            return archive.write_file(self.file, self._bytes_from_metadata(metadata, xml))
         logger.warning('Archive (%s) does not support %s metadata', archive.name(), self.name())
         return False