diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 898a9e98..0653b5fb 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ byobu (3.20) unreleased; urgency=low
   * usr/lib/byobu/cpu_temp: find the temp monitor, LP: #676080
   * usr/lib/byobu/battery, usr/share/man/man1/byobu.1: allow for
     overriding detected BATTERY, LP: #693560
+  * usr/lib/byobu/cpu_temp: test that file exists, is readable, and has
+    size > 0, LP: #696071
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:05:13 -0600
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/cpu_temp b/usr/lib/byobu/cpu_temp
index 4d35137c..69bef9bf 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/cpu_temp
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/cpu_temp
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ fi
 for i in $MONITORED_TEMP /sys/class/hwmon/hwmon*/temp*_input /proc/acpi/ibm/thermal $DIR/*/temperature; do
 	case "$i" in
 		*temp*_input)
-			t=$(awk '{printf "%0.f",$1/1000}' "$i")
+			[ -s "$i" ] && t=$(awk '{printf "%0.f",$1/1000}' "$i")
 		;;
 		*)
-			t=$(sed -e "s/^[^0-9]\+//" -e "s/\s.*$//" "$i")
+			[ -s "$i" ] && t=$(sed -e "s/^[^0-9]\+//" -e "s/\s.*$//" "$i")
 		;;
 	esac
 	if [ -n "$t" ]; then