diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/system/cron.py b/lib/ansible/modules/system/cron.py
index ae4b3b27b1..ac9ee9a4a4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/system/cron.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/system/cron.py
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ def main():
                 changed = True
 
     # no changes to env/job, but existing crontab needs a terminating newline
-    if not changed:
+    if not changed and not crontab.existing == '':
         if not (crontab.existing.endswith('\r') or crontab.existing.endswith('\n')):
             changed = True