diff --git a/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/graphtest_unix.go b/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/graphtest_unix.go
index 4762c85556..b83fb13e3e 100644
--- a/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/graphtest_unix.go
+++ b/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/graphtest_unix.go
@@ -197,6 +197,8 @@ func DriverTestDiffApply(t testing.TB, fileCount int, drivername string, driverO
 	defer PutDriver(t)
 	base := stringid.GenerateRandomID()
 	upper := stringid.GenerateRandomID()
+	deleteFile := "file-remove.txt"
+	deleteFileContent := []byte("This file should get removed in upper!")
 
 	if err := driver.Create(base, "", "", nil); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -206,6 +208,10 @@ func DriverTestDiffApply(t testing.TB, fileCount int, drivername string, driverO
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	if err := addFile(driver, base, deleteFile, deleteFileContent); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	if err := driver.Create(upper, base, "", nil); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -213,6 +219,11 @@ func DriverTestDiffApply(t testing.TB, fileCount int, drivername string, driverO
 	if err := addManyFiles(driver, upper, fileCount, 6); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
+
+	if err := removeFile(driver, upper, deleteFile); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	diffSize, err := driver.DiffSize(upper, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -227,6 +238,10 @@ func DriverTestDiffApply(t testing.TB, fileCount int, drivername string, driverO
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
+	if err := checkFile(driver, diff, deleteFile, deleteFileContent); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
 	arch, err := driver.Diff(upper, base)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -248,9 +263,14 @@ func DriverTestDiffApply(t testing.TB, fileCount int, drivername string, driverO
 	if applyDiffSize != diffSize {
 		t.Fatalf("Apply diff size different, got %d, expected %d", applyDiffSize, diffSize)
 	}
+
 	if err := checkManyFiles(driver, diff, fileCount, 6); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
+
+	if err := checkFileRemoved(driver, diff, deleteFile); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 }
 
 // DriverTestChanges tests computed changes on a layer matches changes made
diff --git a/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/testutil.go b/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/testutil.go
index 5917d0dac4..dc3585751a 100644
--- a/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/testutil.go
+++ b/daemon/graphdriver/graphtest/testutil.go
@@ -78,6 +78,32 @@ func addFile(drv graphdriver.Driver, layer, filename string, content []byte) err
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(path.Join(root, filename), content, 0755)
 }
 
+func removeFile(drv graphdriver.Driver, layer, filename string) error {
+	root, err := drv.Get(layer, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer drv.Put(layer)
+
+	return os.Remove(path.Join(root, filename))
+}
+
+func checkFileRemoved(drv graphdriver.Driver, layer, filename string) error {
+	root, err := drv.Get(layer, "")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer drv.Put(layer)
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path.Join(root, filename)); err == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("file still exists: %s", path.Join(root, filename))
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func addManyFiles(drv graphdriver.Driver, layer string, count int, seed int64) error {
 	root, err := drv.Get(layer, "")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/archive/archive.go b/pkg/archive/archive.go
index 4f0b4ffefe..aec3b393de 100644
--- a/pkg/archive/archive.go
+++ b/pkg/archive/archive.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (ta *tarAppender) addTarFile(path, name string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if hdr.Typeflag == tar.TypeReg {
+	if hdr.Typeflag == tar.TypeReg && hdr.Size > 0 {
 		file, err := os.Open(path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/archive/archive_linux.go b/pkg/archive/archive_linux.go
index 86d2c7fe34..277ff98885 100644
--- a/pkg/archive/archive_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/archive/archive_linux.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ func (overlayWhiteoutConverter) ConvertWrite(hdr *tar.Header, path string, fi os
 		hdr.Name = WhiteoutPrefix + hdr.Name
 		hdr.Mode = 0600
 		hdr.Typeflag = tar.TypeReg
+		hdr.Size = 0
 	}
 
 	if fi.Mode()&os.ModeDir != 0 {