diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/BUG FIXES-20240117-101851.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/BUG FIXES-20240117-101851.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..99e4f247
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/BUG FIXES-20240117-101851.yaml	
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+kind: BUG FIXES
+body: 'resource/archive_file: Return error when generated archive would be empty'
+time: 2024-01-17T10:18:51.941981Z
+custom:
+  Issue: "298"
diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/BUG FIXES-20240117-101923.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/BUG FIXES-20240117-101923.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c51c97e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/BUG FIXES-20240117-101923.yaml	
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+kind: BUG FIXES
+body: 'data-source/archive_file: Return error when generated archive would be empty'
+time: 2024-01-17T10:19:23.907477Z
+custom:
+  Issue: "298"
diff --git a/internal/provider/data_source_archive_file_test.go b/internal/provider/data_source_archive_file_test.go
index ddfec65e..3a78a59d 100644
--- a/internal/provider/data_source_archive_file_test.go
+++ b/internal/provider/data_source_archive_file_test.go
@@ -980,12 +980,7 @@ func TestAccArchiveFile_SymlinkDirectory_Relative_ExcludeSymlinkDirectories(t *t
 			 exclude_symlink_directories = true
 			}
 			`, filepath.ToSlash("test-fixtures/test-symlink-dir"), filepath.ToSlash(f)),
-				Check: r.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
-					r.TestCheckResourceAttrWith("data.archive_file.foo", "output_path", func(value string) error {
-						ensureContents(t, value, map[string][]byte{})
-						return nil
-					}),
-				),
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile(`.*error creating archive: error archiving directory: archive has not been\ncreated as it would be empty`),
 			},
 		},
 	})
@@ -1016,12 +1011,7 @@ func TestAccArchiveFile_SymlinkDirectory_Absolute_ExcludeSymlinkDirectories(t *t
 			 exclude_symlink_directories = true
 			}
 			`, filepath.ToSlash(symlinkDirWithRegularFilesAbs), filepath.ToSlash(f)),
-				Check: r.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
-					r.TestCheckResourceAttrWith("data.archive_file.foo", "output_path", func(value string) error {
-						ensureContents(t, value, map[string][]byte{})
-						return nil
-					}),
-				),
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile(`.*error creating archive: error archiving directory: archive has not been\ncreated as it would be empty`),
 			},
 		},
 	})
@@ -1210,12 +1200,7 @@ func TestAccArchiveFile_DirectoryWithSymlinkDirectory_Relative_ExcludeSymlinkDir
 			 exclude_symlink_directories = true
 			}
 			`, filepath.ToSlash("test-fixtures/test-dir-with-symlink-dir"), filepath.ToSlash(f)),
-				Check: r.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
-					r.TestCheckResourceAttrWith("data.archive_file.foo", "output_path", func(value string) error {
-						ensureContents(t, value, map[string][]byte{})
-						return nil
-					}),
-				),
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile(`.*error creating archive: error archiving directory: archive has not been\ncreated as it would be empty`),
 			},
 		},
 	})
@@ -1245,12 +1230,7 @@ func TestAccArchiveFile_IncludeDirectoryWithSymlinkDirectory_Absolute_ExcludeSym
 			 exclude_symlink_directories = true
 			}
 			`, filepath.ToSlash(symlinkDirInRegularDirAbs), filepath.ToSlash(f)),
-				Check: r.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
-					r.TestCheckResourceAttrWith("data.archive_file.foo", "output_path", func(value string) error {
-						ensureContents(t, value, map[string][]byte{})
-						return nil
-					}),
-				),
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile(`.*error creating archive: error archiving directory: archive has not been\ncreated as it would be empty`),
 			},
 		},
 	})
diff --git a/internal/provider/zip_archiver.go b/internal/provider/zip_archiver.go
index c5248444..d4c00121 100644
--- a/internal/provider/zip_archiver.go
+++ b/internal/provider/zip_archiver.go
@@ -107,15 +107,28 @@ func (a *ZipArchiver) ArchiveDir(indirname string, opts ArchiveDirOpts) error {
 		opts.Excludes[i] = filepath.FromSlash(opts.Excludes[i])
 	}
 
+	// Determine whether an empty archive would be generated.
+	isArchiveEmpty := true
+
+	err = filepath.Walk(indirname, a.createWalkFunc("", indirname, opts, &isArchiveEmpty, true))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Return an error if an empty archive would be generated.
+	if isArchiveEmpty {
+		return fmt.Errorf("archive has not been created as it would be empty")
+	}
+
 	if err := a.open(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer a.close()
 
-	return filepath.Walk(indirname, a.createWalkFunc("", indirname, opts))
+	return filepath.Walk(indirname, a.createWalkFunc("", indirname, opts, &isArchiveEmpty, false))
 }
 
-func (a *ZipArchiver) createWalkFunc(basePath string, indirname string, opts ArchiveDirOpts) func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+func (a *ZipArchiver) createWalkFunc(basePath, indirname string, opts ArchiveDirOpts, isArchiveEmpty *bool, dryRun bool) func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 	return func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error encountered during file walk: %s", err)
@@ -158,7 +171,7 @@ func (a *ZipArchiver) createWalkFunc(basePath string, indirname string, opts Arc
 
 			if realInfo.IsDir() {
 				if !opts.ExcludeSymlinkDirectories {
-					return filepath.Walk(realPath, a.createWalkFunc(archivePath, realPath, opts))
+					return filepath.Walk(realPath, a.createWalkFunc(archivePath, realPath, opts, isArchiveEmpty, dryRun))
 				} else {
 					return filepath.SkipDir
 				}
@@ -167,6 +180,12 @@ func (a *ZipArchiver) createWalkFunc(basePath string, indirname string, opts Arc
 			info = realInfo
 		}
 
+		*isArchiveEmpty = false
+
+		if dryRun {
+			return nil
+		}
+
 		fh, err := zip.FileInfoHeader(info)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error creating file header: %s", err)