diff --git a/src/unix/fs.c b/src/unix/fs.c
index a6366255..00af4675 100644
--- a/src/unix/fs.c
+++ b/src/unix/fs.c
@@ -795,6 +795,7 @@ static ssize_t uv__fs_copyfile(uv_fs_t* req) {
   int64_t in_offset;
 
   dstfd = -1;
+  err = 0;
 
   /* Open the source file. */
   srcfd = uv_fs_open(NULL, &fs_req, req->path, O_RDONLY, 0, NULL);
diff --git a/test/test-fs-copyfile.c b/test/test-fs-copyfile.c
index 2d1f9079..e91044e0 100644
--- a/test/test-fs-copyfile.c
+++ b/test/test-fs-copyfile.c
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_copyfile) {
   ASSERT(r == 0);
   handle_result(&req);
 
+  /* Copies a file of size zero. */
+  unlink(dst);
+  touch_file(src, 0);
+  r = uv_fs_copyfile(NULL, &req, src, dst, 0, NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  handle_result(&req);
+
   /* Copies file synchronously. Overwrites existing file. */
   r = uv_fs_copyfile(NULL, &req, fixture, dst, 0, NULL);
   ASSERT(r == 0);
@@ -141,9 +148,9 @@ TEST_IMPL(fs_copyfile) {
   unlink(dst);
   r = uv_fs_copyfile(loop, &req, fixture, dst, 0, handle_result);
   ASSERT(r == 0);
-  ASSERT(result_check_count == 3);
-  uv_run(loop, UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
   ASSERT(result_check_count == 4);
+  uv_run(loop, UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
+  ASSERT(result_check_count == 5);
   unlink(dst); /* Cleanup */
 
   return 0;