diff --git a/pkg/promtail/targets/file/filetarget.go b/pkg/promtail/targets/file/filetarget.go
index 620704931f78..190c9e17ceca 100644
--- a/pkg/promtail/targets/file/filetarget.go
+++ b/pkg/promtail/targets/file/filetarget.go
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func (t *FileTarget) run() {
 	defer func() {
 		helpers.LogError("closing watcher", t.watcher.Close)
 		for _, v := range t.tails {
-			v.stop()
+			v.stop(false)
 		}
 		level.Debug(t.logger).Log("msg", "watcher closed, tailer stopped, positions saved")
 		close(t.done)
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ func (t *FileTarget) startTailing(ps []string) {
 func (t *FileTarget) stopTailingAndRemovePosition(ps []string) {
 	for _, p := range ps {
 		if tailer, ok := t.tails[p]; ok {
-			tailer.stop()
+			tailer.stop(true)
 			t.positions.Remove(tailer.path)
 			delete(t.tails, p)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/promtail/targets/file/tailer.go b/pkg/promtail/targets/file/tailer.go
index 3e4258ae79ea..f0ae20be85dc 100644
--- a/pkg/promtail/targets/file/tailer.go
+++ b/pkg/promtail/targets/file/tailer.go
@@ -152,11 +152,13 @@ func (t *tailer) markPositionAndSize() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *tailer) stop() {
+func (t *tailer) stop(removed bool) {
 	// Save the current position before shutting down tailer
-	err := t.markPositionAndSize()
-	if err != nil {
-		level.Error(t.logger).Log("msg", "error marking file position when stopping tailer", "path", t.path, "error", err)
+	if !removed {
+		err := t.markPositionAndSize()
+		if err != nil {
+			level.Error(t.logger).Log("msg", "error marking file position when stopping tailer", "path", t.path, "error", err)
+		}
 	}
 	close(t.quit)
 	<-t.done