diff --git a/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init b/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
index 010c54cf533..fac2d8a72d0 100644
--- a/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
+++ b/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ dnsmasq() {
 	[ "$readethers" = "1" ] && [ -e "/etc/ethers" ] || touch /etc/ethers
 
 	config_get leasefile $cfg leasefile
-	[ -e "$leasefile" ] || touch "$leasefile"
+	[ -n "$leasefile" ] && ([ -e "$leasefile" ] || touch "$leasefile")
 	config_get_bool cachelocal "$cfg" cachelocal 1
 
 	config_get hostsfile "$cfg" dhcphostsfile