diff --git a/libninja/src/rust.rs b/libninja/src/rust.rs
index 0bf183d..da6231c 100644
--- a/libninja/src/rust.rs
+++ b/libninja/src/rust.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use proc_macro2::TokenStream;
 use quote::quote;
 use syn::Item;
 use text_io::read;
+use tracing::debug;
 
 use codegen::ToRustIdent;
 use codegen::ToRustType;
@@ -188,7 +189,8 @@ fn write_file_with_template(mut file: File<TokenStream>, template: Option<String
     // file.defs
     // let template = syn::parse_file(&template)?;
     if template.contains("libninja: static") {
-        return write_rust_file_to_path(path, file);
+        debug!("Writing file from template/ as-is: {}", path.display());
+        return fs::write_file(path, &template);
     }
     let doc = std::mem::take(&mut file.doc)
         .to_rust_code();
diff --git a/libninja/src/rust/io.rs b/libninja/src/rust/io.rs
index 9b23eca..465b364 100644
--- a/libninja/src/rust/io.rs
+++ b/libninja/src/rust/io.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use ln_core::fs;
 use crate::rust::codegen::ToRustCode;
 use crate::rust::format::format_code;
 
-pub fn write_rust_file_to_path(path: &Path, file: ::mir::File<TokenStream>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+pub fn write_rust_file_to_path(path: &Path, file: mir::File<TokenStream>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let code = file.to_rust_code();
     write_rust_code_to_path(path, code)
 }
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ pub fn write_rust_to_path(path: &Path, code: TokenStream, template: &str) -> any
     let code = format_code(code)?;
     let mut f = fs::open(path)?;
     let mut s = template.to_string();
-    if !s.ends_with('\n') {
+    if !s.is_empty() && !s.ends_with('\n') {
         s += "\n";
     }
     s += &code;
     fs::write_file(path, &s)
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file