diff -pur file-roller-2.20.1.orig/src/fr-command-tar.c file-roller-2.20.1/src/fr-command-tar.c
--- file-roller-2.20.1.orig/src/fr-command-tar.c	2007-10-15 21:32:45.000000000 +0200
+++ file-roller-2.20.1/src/fr-command-tar.c	2007-10-30 08:30:29.000000000 +0100
@@ -321,7 +321,9 @@ fr_command_tar_add (FrCommand     *comm,
 		g_free (e_base_dir);
 	}
 
-	if (update)
+	if (!g_file_test (c_tar->uncomp_filename, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS))
+		fr_process_add_arg (comm->process, "-cf");
+	else if (update)
 		fr_process_add_arg (comm->process, "-uf");
 	else
 		fr_process_add_arg (comm->process, "-rf");
