diff --git a/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch.go b/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch.go
index c6afc72b986..3203b90be1d 100644
--- a/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch.go
+++ b/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch.go
@@ -199,6 +199,11 @@ func (w *fileWatcher) watch(ctx unison.Canceler) {
 
 	// remaining files in newFiles are newly created files
 	for path, fd := range newFilesByName {
+		// no need to react on empty new files
+		if fd.Info.Size() == 0 {
+			w.log.Warnf("file %q has no content yet, skipping", fd.Filename)
+			continue
+		}
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return
diff --git a/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch_test.go b/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch_test.go
index 8cfcff723c4..23e2af4bbd4 100644
--- a/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch_test.go
+++ b/filebeat/input/filestream/fswatch_test.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 
 	loginp "github.com/elastic/beats/v7/filebeat/input/filestream/internal/input-logfile"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/libbeat/common"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/libbeat/logp"
 )
 
 func TestFileWatcher(t *testing.T) {
@@ -219,10 +220,10 @@ scanner:
 		paths := []string{filepath.Join(dir, "*.log")}
 		cfgStr := `
 scanner:
-  check_interval: 100ms
+  check_interval: 10ms
 `
 
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 1000*time.Millisecond)
 		defer cancel()
 
 		fw := createWatcherWithConfig(t, paths, cfgStr)
@@ -252,16 +253,69 @@ scanner:
 		require.Equal(t, loginp.OpDone, e.Op)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("does not emit events for empty files", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dir := t.TempDir()
+		paths := []string{filepath.Join(dir, "*.log")}
+		cfgStr := `
+scanner:
+  check_interval: 10ms
+`
+
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 100*time.Millisecond)
+		defer cancel()
+
+		err := logp.DevelopmentSetup(logp.ToObserverOutput())
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		fw := createWatcherWithConfig(t, paths, cfgStr)
+		go fw.Run(ctx)
+
+		basename := "created.log"
+		filename := filepath.Join(dir, basename)
+		err = os.WriteFile(filename, nil, 0777)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		t.Run("issues a warning in logs", func(t *testing.T) {
+			var lastWarning string
+			expLogMsg := fmt.Sprintf("file %q has no content yet, skipping", filename)
+			require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+				logs := logp.ObserverLogs().FilterLevelExact(logp.WarnLevel.ZapLevel()).TakeAll()
+				if len(logs) == 0 {
+					return false
+				}
+				lastWarning = logs[len(logs)-1].Message
+				return strings.Contains(lastWarning, expLogMsg)
+			}, 100*time.Millisecond, 10*time.Millisecond, "required a warning message %q but got %q", expLogMsg, lastWarning)
+		})
+
+		t.Run("emits a create event once something is written to the empty file", func(t *testing.T) {
+			err = os.WriteFile(filename, []byte("hello"), 0777)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			e := fw.Event()
+			expEvent := loginp.FSEvent{
+				NewPath: filename,
+				OldPath: filename,
+				Op:      loginp.OpWrite,
+				Descriptor: loginp.FileDescriptor{
+					Filename: filename,
+					Info:     testFileInfo{path: basename, size: 5}, // +5 bytes appended
+				},
+			}
+			requireEqualEvents(t, expEvent, e)
+		})
+	})
+
 	t.Run("does not emit an event for a fingerprint collision", func(t *testing.T) {
 		dir := t.TempDir()
 		paths := []string{filepath.Join(dir, "*.log")}
 		cfgStr := `
 scanner:
-  check_interval: 100ms
+  check_interval: 10ms
   fingerprint.enabled: true
 `
 
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 100*time.Millisecond)
 		defer cancel()
 
 		fw := createWatcherWithConfig(t, paths, cfgStr)