diff --git a/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configMin.src b/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configMin.src
index dcbb1608b..d1d26e04d 100755
--- a/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configMin.src
+++ b/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configMin.src
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ XCOMM
 XCOMM check for existence of /etc/inetd.conf
 XCOMM
 
-    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely
+    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely (in the 1990s, quite likely in 2018)
     then
-	echo "" >$FILE
+	return
     fi
 
 XCOMM
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ UnfixEtcInetdDotConf()
 FILE=/etc/inetd.conf
 TMPFILE=/tmp/inetd.conf
 
+    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely (in the 1990s, quite likely in 2018)
+    then
+	return
+    fi
+
     awk '{if ($1 == "dtspc")
 		;
 	  else
diff --git a/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configRun.src b/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configRun.src
index 688c34cc6..444a52bfd 100755
--- a/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configRun.src
+++ b/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configRun.src
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ XCOMM
 XCOMM check for existence of /etc/inetd.conf
 XCOMM
 
-    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely
+    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely (in the 1990s, quite likely in 2018)
     then
-	echo "" >$FILE
+	return
     fi
 
 XCOMM
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ FILE=/etc/inetd.conf
 TMPFILE=/tmp/inetd.conf
 CMSD=CDE_INSTALLATION_TOP/bin/rpc.cmsd
 
+    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely (in the 1990s, quite likely in 2018)
+    then
+	return
+    fi
+
     HASH first remove the CDE rpc.cmsd entry
 
     awk -v cmsd=$CMSD \
diff --git a/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configTT.src b/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configTT.src
index 1ae279740..d2876c73f 100755
--- a/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configTT.src
+++ b/cde/admin/IntegTools/post_install/linux/configTT.src
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ XCOMM
 XCOMM check for existence of /etc/inetd.conf
 XCOMM
 
-    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely
+    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely (in the 1990s, quite likely in 2018)
     then
-	echo "" >$FILE
+	return
     fi
 
 XCOMM
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ FILE=/etc/inetd.conf
 TMPFILE=/tmp/inetd.conf
 TTDBSERVERD=CDE_INSTALLATION_TOP/bin/rpc.ttdbserver
 
+    if [ ! -f $FILE ]	# highly unlikely (in the 1990s, quite likely in 2018)
+    then
+	return
+    fi
+
     awk -v ttdb=$TTDBSERVERD \
 	'{if ($1 == "100083/1" && $6 == ttdb)
 		;