diff --git a/progit/ui/repo.py b/progit/ui/repo.py
index c1c681d..176e987 100644
--- a/progit/ui/repo.py
+++ b/progit/ui/repo.py
@@ -321,6 +321,9 @@ def view_file(repo, identifier, filename, username=None):
 
     repo_obj = pygit2.Repository(reponame)
 
+    if repo_obj.is_empty:
+        flask.abort(404, 'Empty repo cannot have a file')
+
     if identifier in repo_obj.listall_branches():
         branchname = identifier
         branch = repo_obj.lookup_branch(identifier)
@@ -343,9 +346,6 @@ def view_file(repo, identifier, filename, username=None):
     else:
         content = commit
 
-    if not content:
-            flask.abort(404, 'File not found')
-
     if isinstance(content, pygit2.Blob):
         if content.is_binary:
             ext = filename[filename.rfind('.'):]