diff --git a/io/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/io/file/Files.scala b/io/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/io/file/Files.scala
index 09f25dd536..61f3bb1c36 100644
--- a/io/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/io/file/Files.scala
+++ b/io/shared/src/main/scala/fs2/io/file/Files.scala
@@ -443,7 +443,14 @@ sealed trait Files[F[_]] extends FilesPlatform[F] {
     * using the specified flags to open the file.
     */
   def writeUtf8Lines(path: Path, flags: Flags): Pipe[F, String, Nothing] = in =>
-    in.flatMap(s => Stream[F, String](s, lineSeparator)).through(writeUtf8(path, flags))
+    in.pull.uncons
+      .flatMap {
+        case Some(_) =>
+          in.intersperse(lineSeparator).append(Stream[F, String](lineSeparator)).underlying
+        case None => Pull.done
+      }
+      .stream
+      .through(writeUtf8(path, flags))
 }
 
 private[fs2] trait FilesLowPriority { this: Files.type =>
diff --git a/io/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/io/file/FilesSuite.scala b/io/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/io/file/FilesSuite.scala
index 62a5a5ff32..60b2d61c4c 100644
--- a/io/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/io/file/FilesSuite.scala
+++ b/io/shared/src/test/scala/fs2/io/file/FilesSuite.scala
@@ -169,6 +169,20 @@ class FilesSuite extends Fs2IoSuite with BaseFileSuite {
                          |bar
                          |""".stripMargin)
     }
+
+    test("writeUtf8Lines - empty stream") {
+      Stream
+        .resource(tempFile)
+        .flatMap { path =>
+          Stream.empty
+            .covary[IO]
+            .through(Files[IO].writeUtf8Lines(path)) ++ Files[IO]
+            .readUtf8(path)
+        }
+        .compile
+        .foldMonoid
+        .assertEquals("")
+    }
   }
 
   group("tail") {