diff --git a/railties/lib/rails_generator/commands.rb b/railties/lib/rails_generator/commands.rb
index bd5754b72de75..93d22ddef4359 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails_generator/commands.rb
+++ b/railties/lib/rails_generator/commands.rb
@@ -220,12 +220,11 @@ def file(relative_source, relative_destination, file_options = {}, &block)
               if block_given?
                 df.write(yield(sf))
               else
-                line = sf.gets || ''
                 if file_options[:shebang]
                   df.puts("#!#{file_options[:shebang]}")
-                  df.puts(line) if line !~ /^#!/
-                else
-                  df.puts(line)
+                  if line = sf.gets
+                    df.puts(line) if line !~ /^#!/
+                  end
                 end
                 df.write(sf.read)
               end