diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Version history for cached-json-file
 
+## 0.1.1 (2021-12-27)
+- pull new data if cache file is empty
+
 ## 0.1.0 (2021-07-29)
 - initial release with getCachedJSON and getCachedJSONQuery
 - exports lookupKey from http-query
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 Useful for frequently used programs that use some remote json data
 which changes rather slowly (like in hours, days, weeks or months),
-where it is not critical to have always the latest data immediately.
+where it is not critical to have always the latest data locally immediately.
 
 ## Usage
 
@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@
 which uses `webquery :: (FromJSON a, ToJSON a) => IO a` to download
 the json data.
 
-Currently the smallest possible cache time is 1 minute.
+The shortest cache time is 1 minute.
diff --git a/cached-json-file.cabal b/cached-json-file.cabal
--- a/cached-json-file.cabal
+++ b/cached-json-file.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                cached-json-file
-version:             0.1.0
+version:             0.1.1
 synopsis:            Locally cache a json file obtained by http
 description:
         A small library for caching a slow-changing remote json file in
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
                      ChangeLog.md
 cabal-version:       2.0
 tested-with:         GHC == 8.2.2, GHC == 8.4.4, GHC == 8.6.5, GHC == 8.8.4,
-                     GHC == 8.10.4, GHC == 9.0.1
+                     GHC == 8.10.5, GHC == 9.0.1
 
 source-repository head
   type:                git
diff --git a/src/System/Cached/JSON.hs b/src/System/Cached/JSON.hs
--- a/src/System/Cached/JSON.hs
+++ b/src/System/Cached/JSON.hs
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 import System.Environment.XDG.BaseDir
 import System.FilePath
 
--- FIXME handle network failure
-
 -- | If the local cached json file is new enough then use it,
 -- otherwise refresh from the remote url.
 getCachedJSON :: (FromJSON a, ToJSON a)
@@ -44,10 +42,15 @@
     putStrLn $ "Creating " ++ file ++ " ..."
     createDirectoryIfMissing True (takeDirectory file)
   recent <- do
-    if exists then do
-      ts <- getModificationTime file
-      t <- getCurrentTime
-      return $ diffUTCTime t ts < (minutes * 60)
+    if exists
+      then do
+      size <- getFileSize file
+      if size == 0
+        then return False
+        else do
+        ts <- getModificationTime file
+        t <- getCurrentTime
+        return $ diffUTCTime t ts < (minutes * 60)
       else return False
   if recent
     then do