diff --git a/utils/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/utils/properties/Properties.java b/utils/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/utils/properties/Properties.java
index 81817aa..30fb4df 100644
--- a/utils/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/utils/properties/Properties.java
+++ b/utils/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/utils/properties/Properties.java
@@ -350,8 +350,10 @@
     protected void loadLayout(Reader in) throws IOException
     {
         PropertiesReader reader = new PropertiesReader(in);
+        boolean hasProperty = false;
         while (reader.nextProperty())
         {
+            hasProperty = true;
             storage.put(reader.getPropertyName(), reader.getPropertyValue());
             int idx = checkHeaderComment(reader.getCommentLines());
             layout.put(reader.getPropertyName(),
@@ -360,7 +362,11 @@
                                     null,
                                new ArrayList<String>(reader.getValueLines())));
         }
-        footer = new ArrayList<String>(reader.getCommentLines());
+        if (hasProperty) {
+            footer = new ArrayList<String>(reader.getCommentLines());
+        } else {
+            header = new ArrayList<String>(reader.getCommentLines());
+        }
         if (substitute)
         {
             substitute();
@@ -1099,4 +1105,4 @@
 
     } // class Layout
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}