diff --git a/tests/t1900-archive.sh b/tests/t1900-archive.sh
index af95ba0c..9b5f00fb 100755
--- a/tests/t1900-archive.sh
+++ b/tests/t1900-archive.sh
@@ -32,4 +32,9 @@ test_todo_session 'list after archive' <<EOF
 TODO: 5 of 5 tasks shown
 EOF
 
+test_todo_session 'archive warning message' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh archive
+TODO: $HOME/todo.txt does not contain any done tasks.
+EOF
+
 test_done
diff --git a/tests/t1950-report.sh b/tests/t1950-report.sh
index 6b88d658..9546e043 100755
--- a/tests/t1950-report.sh
+++ b/tests/t1950-report.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ EOF
 
 test_todo_session 'create new report' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh report
-TODO: $HOME/todo.txt archived.
+TODO: $HOME/todo.txt does not contain any done tasks.
 2009-02-13T04:40:00 5 0
 TODO: Report file updated.
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ x 2009-02-13 smell the coffee +wakeup
 TODO: $HOME/todo.txt archived.
 
 >>> todo.sh report
-TODO: $HOME/todo.txt archived.
+TODO: $HOME/todo.txt does not contain any done tasks.
 2009-02-13T04:40:00 4 1
 TODO: Report file updated.
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ test_todo_session 'report is unchanged when no changes' <<EOF
 2009-02-13T04:40:00 3 2
 
 >>> todo.sh report
-TODO: $HOME/todo.txt archived.
+TODO: $HOME/todo.txt does not contain any done tasks.
 2009-02-13T04:40:00 3 2
 TODO: Report file is up-to-date.
 
diff --git a/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh b/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh
index 306fc4d2..feb74304 100755
--- a/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh
+++ b/tests/t2200-no-done-report-files.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ test_expect_success 'no done file has been created by the archiving' '[ ! -e don
 
 test_todo_session 'perform report' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh -d test.cfg report
-TODO: ./todo.txt archived.
+TODO: ./todo.txt does not contain any done tasks.
 2009-02-13T04:40:00 0 0
 TODO: Report file updated.
 EOF
diff --git a/tests/t9999-testsuite_example.sh b/tests/t9999-testsuite_example.sh
index cdc7a901..c0aa6b09 100755
--- a/tests/t9999-testsuite_example.sh
+++ b/tests/t9999-testsuite_example.sh
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ TODO: $HOME/todo.txt archived.
 TODO: 5 of 5 tasks shown
 
 >>> todo.sh report
-TODO: $HOME/todo.txt archived.
+TODO: $HOME/todo.txt does not contain any done tasks.
 2009-02-13T04:40:00 5 1
 TODO: Report file updated.
 
diff --git a/todo.sh b/todo.sh
index a55310d0..130ed3f2 100755
--- a/todo.sh
+++ b/todo.sh
@@ -1172,11 +1172,16 @@ case $action in
 "archive" )
     # defragment blank lines
     sed -i.bak -e '/./!d' "$TODO_FILE"
-    [ "$TODOTXT_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && grep "^x " "$TODO_FILE"
-    grep "^x " "$TODO_FILE" >> "$DONE_FILE"
-    sed -i.bak '/^x /d' "$TODO_FILE"
-    if [ "$TODOTXT_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
-        echo "TODO: $TODO_FILE archived."
+    if grep "^x " "$TODO_FILE" >> "$DONE_FILE"; then
+	[ "$TODOTXT_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ] && grep "^x " "$TODO_FILE"   
+        sed -i.bak '/^x /d' "$TODO_FILE"
+        if [ "$TODOTXT_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
+            echo "TODO: $TODO_FILE archived."
+        fi
+    else
+	if [ "$TODOTXT_VERBOSE" -gt 0 ]; then
+       	    echo "TODO: $TODO_FILE does not contain any done tasks."
+	fi
     fi
     ;;