diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 097d8d1..8727c7e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func createEmpty(path string) error {
 	if os.IsNotExist(fErr) {
 		log.Printf("creating %q\n", path)
 		twData, _ := tiddly.ReadFile(twFile)
-		wErr := ioutil.WriteFile(path, []byte(twData), 0600)
+		wErr := ioutil.WriteFile(path, twData, 0600)
 		if wErr != nil {
 			return wErr
 		}