diff --git a/epan/follow.c b/epan/follow.c
index 5e819e4cd4..55f5be3c9e 100644
--- a/epan/follow.c
+++ b/epan/follow.c
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ typedef struct _tcp_frag {
 
 FILE* data_out_file = NULL;
 
-gboolean incomplete_tcp_stream = FALSE;
+gboolean empty_tcp_stream;
+gboolean incomplete_tcp_stream;
 
 static guint8  ip_address[2][MAX_IPADDR_LEN];
 static guint   tcp_port[2];
@@ -304,9 +305,12 @@ check_fragments( int index, tcp_stream_chunk *sc ) {
 
 /* this should always be called before we start to reassemble a stream */
 void
-reset_tcp_reassembly() {
+reset_tcp_reassembly(void)
+{
   tcp_frag *current, *next;
   int i;
+
+  empty_tcp_stream = TRUE;
   incomplete_tcp_stream = FALSE;
   for( i=0; i<2; i++ ) {
     seq[i] = 0;
@@ -332,4 +336,5 @@ write_packet_data( int index, tcp_stream_chunk *sc, const char *data )
   DISSECTOR_ASSERT(1 * sizeof(tcp_stream_chunk) == fwrite( sc, 1, sizeof(tcp_stream_chunk), data_out_file ));
   DISSECTOR_ASSERT(1 * sc->dlen == fwrite( data, 1, sc->dlen, data_out_file ));
   bytes_written[index] += sc->dlen;
+  empty_tcp_stream = FALSE;
 }
diff --git a/epan/follow.h b/epan/follow.h
index 9d92624db8..86edbd3aca 100644
--- a/epan/follow.h
+++ b/epan/follow.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #define MAX_IPADDR_LEN	16
 
 /* With MSVC and a libwireshark.dll, we need a special declaration. */
+WS_VAR_IMPORT gboolean empty_tcp_stream;
 WS_VAR_IMPORT gboolean incomplete_tcp_stream;
 
 typedef struct _tcp_stream_chunk {
diff --git a/gtk/follow_dlg.c b/gtk/follow_dlg.c
index 59e012caae..f8952f0d1d 100644
--- a/gtk/follow_dlg.c
+++ b/gtk/follow_dlg.c
@@ -256,7 +256,6 @@ follow_stream_cb(GtkWidget * w, gpointer data _U_)
             "!(%s)", follow_filter);
 	}
 
-
 	gtk_entry_set_text(GTK_ENTRY(filter_te), follow_filter);
 
 	/* Run the display filter so it goes in effect - even if it's the
@@ -266,6 +265,16 @@ follow_stream_cb(GtkWidget * w, gpointer data _U_)
 	/* Free the filter string, as we're done with it. */
 	g_free(follow_filter);
 
+	/* Check whether we got any data written to the file. */
+	if (empty_tcp_stream) {
+	    simple_dialog(ESD_TYPE_ERROR, ESD_BTN_OK,
+			  "The packets in the capture file for that stream have no data.");
+	    eth_close(tmp_fd);
+	    unlink(follow_info->data_out_filename);
+	    g_free(follow_info);
+	    return;
+	}
+
 	/* Go back to the top of the file and read the first tcp_stream_chunk
 	 * to ensure that the IP addresses and port numbers in the drop-down
 	 * list are tied to the correct lines displayed by follow_read_stream()