diff --git a/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js b/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js
index 19ffb01f8..d6eb13357 100644
--- a/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js
+++ b/nodes/core/storage/50-file.js
@@ -20,23 +20,19 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
     function FileNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
-
-        this.filename = n.filename;
+        this.filename = n.filename || "";
         this.appendNewline = n.appendNewline;
         this.overwriteFile = n.overwriteFile;
         var node = this;
         this.on("input",function(msg) {
             var filename = msg.filename || this.filename;
-
             if (filename === "") {
                 node.warn('No filename specified');
             } else if (typeof msg.payload != "undefined") {
                 var data = msg.payload;
                 if (typeof data == "object") { data = JSON.stringify(data); }
                 if (typeof data == "boolean") { data = data.toString(); }
-                if (this.appendNewline) {
-                    data += "\n";
-                }
+                if (this.appendNewline) { data += "\n"; }
                 if (msg.hasOwnProperty('delete')) {
                     fs.unlink(filename, function (err) {
                         if (err) { node.warn('Failed to delete file : '+err); }
@@ -65,7 +61,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
     function FileInNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
 
-        this.filename = n.filename;
+        this.filename = n.filename || "";
         this.format = n.format;
         var node = this;
         var options = {};
@@ -74,7 +70,6 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         }
         this.on("input",function(msg) {
             var filename = msg.filename || this.filename;
-
             if (filename === "") {
                 node.warn('No filename specified');
             } else {