diff --git a/platformio/commands/init.py b/platformio/commands/init.py
index aebd3bea..3dc454be 100644
--- a/platformio/commands/init.py
+++ b/platformio/commands/init.py
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ def init_cvs_ignore(project_dir):
     ignore_path = join(project_dir, ".gitignore")
     default = [".pioenvs\n", ".piolibdeps\n"]
     current = []
+    modified = False
     if isfile(ignore_path):
         with open(ignore_path) as fp:
             current = fp.readlines()
@@ -280,7 +281,10 @@ def init_cvs_ignore(project_dir):
             current[-1] += "\n"
     for d in default:
         if d not in current:
+            modified = True
             current.append(d)
+    if not modified:
+        return
     with open(ignore_path, "w") as fp:
         fp.writelines(current)
 
diff --git a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
index aee32748..5e4b0e8f 100644
--- a/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
+++ b/platformio/ide/projectgenerator.py
@@ -127,12 +127,16 @@ class ProjectGenerator(object):
 
         # merge .gitignore
         if file_name == ".gitignore" and isfile(dst_path):
+            modified = False
             default = [l.strip() for l in contents.split("\n")]
             with open(dst_path) as fp:
                 current = [l.strip() for l in fp.readlines()]
             for d in default:
                 if d and d not in current:
+                    modified = True
                     current.append(d)
+            if not modified:
+                return
             contents = "\n".join(current) + "\n"
 
         with open(dst_path, "w") as f: