diff --git a/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/app_generator.rb b/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/app_generator.rb
index 66e72f8cdc..324843a5f5 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/app_generator.rb
+++ b/railties/lib/rails/generators/rails/app/app_generator.rb
@@ -84,6 +84,16 @@ module Rails
       chmod "bin", 0755 & ~File.umask, verbose: false
     end
 
+    def bin_when_updating
+      bin_yarn_exist = File.exist?("bin/yarn")
+
+      bin
+
+      if options[:api] && !bin_yarn_exist
+        remove_file "bin/yarn"
+      end
+    end
+
     def config
       empty_directory "config"
 
@@ -106,6 +116,8 @@ module Rails
       cookie_serializer_config_exist = File.exist?("config/initializers/cookies_serializer.rb")
       action_cable_config_exist = File.exist?("config/cable.yml")
       rack_cors_config_exist = File.exist?("config/initializers/cors.rb")
+      assets_config_exist = File.exist?("config/initializers/assets.rb")
+      new_framework_defaults_5_1_exist = File.exist?("config/initializers/new_framework_defaults_5_1.rb")
 
       config
 
@@ -120,6 +132,22 @@ module Rails
       unless rack_cors_config_exist
         remove_file "config/initializers/cors.rb"
       end
+
+      if options[:api]
+        unless cookie_serializer_config_exist
+          remove_file "config/initializers/cookies_serializer.rb"
+        end
+
+        unless assets_config_exist
+          remove_file "config/initializers/assets.rb"
+        end
+
+        # Sprockets owns the only new default for 5.1:
+        # In API-only Applications, we don't want the file.
+        unless new_framework_defaults_5_1_exist
+          remove_file "config/initializers/new_framework_defaults_5_1.rb"
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     def database_yml
@@ -230,6 +258,11 @@ module Rails
         build(:bin)
       end
 
+      def update_bin_files
+        build(:bin_when_updating)
+      end
+      remove_task :update_bin_files
+
       def create_config_files
         build(:config)
       end
diff --git a/railties/lib/rails/tasks/framework.rake b/railties/lib/rails/tasks/framework.rake
index f5586b53f0..32a6b109bc 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails/tasks/framework.rake
+++ b/railties/lib/rails/tasks/framework.rake
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ namespace :app do
 
     # desc "Adds new executables to the application bin/ directory"
     task :bin do
-      RailsUpdate.invoke_from_app_generator :create_bin_files
+      RailsUpdate.invoke_from_app_generator :update_bin_files
     end
 
     task :upgrade_guide_info do
diff --git a/railties/test/generators/api_app_generator_test.rb b/railties/test/generators/api_app_generator_test.rb
index bb8b29501a..2edb39c8e8 100644
--- a/railties/test/generators/api_app_generator_test.rb
+++ b/railties/test/generators/api_app_generator_test.rb
@@ -61,6 +61,28 @@ class ApiAppGeneratorTest < Rails::Generators::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  def test_app_update_does_not_generate_unnecessary_config_files
+    run_generator
+
+    generator = Rails::Generators::AppGenerator.new ["rails"],
+      { api: true, update: true }, destination_root: destination_root, shell: @shell
+    quietly { generator.send(:update_config_files) }
+
+    assert_no_file "config/initializers/cookies_serializer.rb"
+    assert_no_file "config/initializers/assets.rb"
+    assert_no_file "config/initializers/new_framework_defaults_5_1.rb"
+  end
+
+  def test_app_update_does_not_generate_unnecessary_bin_files
+    run_generator
+
+    generator = Rails::Generators::AppGenerator.new ["rails"],
+      { api: true, update: true }, destination_root: destination_root, shell: @shell
+    quietly { generator.send(:update_bin_files) }
+
+    assert_no_file "bin/yarn"
+  end
+
   private
 
     def default_files