diff --git a/Smarty.class.php b/Smarty.class.php
index 5c31113a..d4650a0c 100644
--- a/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/Smarty.class.php
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ class Smarty
         if ($create_dirs)
             $this->_create_dir_structure(dirname($filename));
         
-        if (!($fd = fopen($filename, 'a'))) {
+        if (!($fd = fopen($filename, 'w'))) {
             $this->_trigger_error_msg("problem writing '$filename.'");
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/libs/Smarty.class.php b/libs/Smarty.class.php
index 5c31113a..d4650a0c 100644
--- a/libs/Smarty.class.php
+++ b/libs/Smarty.class.php
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ class Smarty
         if ($create_dirs)
             $this->_create_dir_structure(dirname($filename));
         
-        if (!($fd = fopen($filename, 'a'))) {
+        if (!($fd = fopen($filename, 'w'))) {
             $this->_trigger_error_msg("problem writing '$filename.'");
             return false;
         }