diff --git a/archive/archive.go b/archive/archive.go
index 4f8db0b..ad3d65b 100644
--- a/archive/archive.go
+++ b/archive/archive.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (ta *tarAppender) addTarFile(path, name string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if hdr.Typeflag == tar.TypeReg {
+	if hdr.Typeflag == tar.TypeReg && hdr.Size > 0 {
 		file, err := os.Open(path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/archive/archive_linux.go b/archive/archive_linux.go
index 86d2c7f..277ff98 100644
--- a/archive/archive_linux.go
+++ b/archive/archive_linux.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ func (overlayWhiteoutConverter) ConvertWrite(hdr *tar.Header, path string, fi os
 		hdr.Name = WhiteoutPrefix + hdr.Name
 		hdr.Mode = 0600
 		hdr.Typeflag = tar.TypeReg
+		hdr.Size = 0
 	}
 
 	if fi.Mode()&os.ModeDir != 0 {