diff --git a/renderdoc/core/core.cpp b/renderdoc/core/core.cpp
index 5d0129283..ee555b1c9 100644
--- a/renderdoc/core/core.cpp
+++ b/renderdoc/core/core.cpp
@@ -2455,8 +2455,9 @@ bool RenderDoc::GetTrackedFileData(const rdcstr &nickname, bytebuf &data) const
   {
     if(f.nickname == nickname)
     {
-      data = f.data;
-      return true;
+      if(f.hasData)
+        data = f.data;
+      return f.hasData;
     }
   }
   return false;
@@ -2595,6 +2596,7 @@ RDResult RenderDoc::ReadExternalFiles(RDCFile *rdc)
       {
         file.data = f.data;
         file.filepath.clear();
+        file.hasData = true;
         break;
       }
     }
diff --git a/renderdoc/core/core.h b/renderdoc/core/core.h
index f9b69f6d6..e51ba7996 100644
--- a/renderdoc/core/core.h
+++ b/renderdoc/core/core.h
@@ -656,11 +656,18 @@ private:
   struct TrackedFile
   {
     TrackedFile() = default;
-    TrackedFile(const rdcstr &name, const rdcstr &path) : nickname(name), filepath(path) {}
-    TrackedFile(const rdcstr &name, const bytebuf &contents) : nickname(name), data(contents) {}
+    TrackedFile(const rdcstr &name, const rdcstr &path)
+        : nickname(name), filepath(path), hasData(false)
+    {
+    }
+    TrackedFile(const rdcstr &name, const bytebuf &contents)
+        : nickname(name), data(contents), hasData(true)
+    {
+    }
     rdcstr nickname;
     rdcstr filepath;
     bytebuf data;
+    bool hasData;
   };
 
   void SyncAvailableGPUThread();