diff --git a/config/alfresco/model/systemModel.xml b/config/alfresco/model/systemModel.xml
index 41f99a7d6c..75d16dd404 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/model/systemModel.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/model/systemModel.xml
@@ -147,6 +147,12 @@
          <archive>false</archive>
       </aspect>
       
+      <!-- aspect to tag nodes being formed and without any content yet -->
+      <aspect name="sys:noContent">
+         <title>NoContent</title>
+         <archive>false</archive>
+      </aspect>
+      
       <!-- details stored on archived nodes -->
       <aspect name="sys:archived">
          <title>Archived</title>
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentDiskDriver.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentDiskDriver.java
index a9390a000c..f33c57b753 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentDiskDriver.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentDiskDriver.java
@@ -1835,6 +1835,7 @@ public class ContentDiskDriver extends AlfrescoDiskDriver implements DiskInterfa
             // Create it - the path will be created, if necessary
             
             NodeRef nodeRef = cifsHelper.createNode(deviceRootNodeRef, path, true);
+            nodeService.addAspect(nodeRef, ContentModel.ASPECT_NO_CONTENT, null);
             
             // Create the network file
             
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentNetworkFile.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentNetworkFile.java
index d3a312bf5c..d48c88f083 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentNetworkFile.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/filesys/repo/ContentNetworkFile.java
@@ -408,9 +408,11 @@ public class ContentNetworkFile extends NodeRefNetworkFile
             if (contentChanged)
             {
                 ContentData contentData = content.getContentData();
+                NodeRef contentNodeRef = getNodeRef();
+                nodeService.removeAspect(contentNodeRef, ContentModel.ASPECT_NO_CONTENT);
                 try
                 {
-                    nodeService.setProperty( getNodeRef(), ContentModel.PROP_CONTENT, contentData);
+                    nodeService.setProperty( contentNodeRef, ContentModel.PROP_CONTENT, contentData);
                 }
                 catch (ContentQuotaException qe)
                 {
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/model/ContentModel.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/model/ContentModel.java
index 45d2122723..85830415a7 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/model/ContentModel.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/model/ContentModel.java
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ public interface ContentModel
     // tag for temporary nodes
     static final QName ASPECT_TEMPORARY = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.SYSTEM_MODEL_1_0_URI, "temporary");
     
+    // tag for nodes being formed (CIFS)
+    static final QName ASPECT_NO_CONTENT = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.SYSTEM_MODEL_1_0_URI, "noContent");
+    
     // tag for localized nodes
     static final QName ASPECT_LOCALIZED = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.SYSTEM_MODEL_1_0_URI, "localized");
     static final QName PROP_LOCALE = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.SYSTEM_MODEL_1_0_URI, "locale");
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServiceImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServiceImpl.java
index fb92cb1250..0c43136de3 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServiceImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/ContentServiceImpl.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import org.alfresco.repo.content.cleanup.EagerContentStoreCleaner;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.filestore.FileContentStore;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.ContentTransformer;
 import org.alfresco.repo.content.transform.ContentTransformerRegistry;
+import org.alfresco.repo.node.NodeServicePolicies;
 import org.alfresco.repo.policy.ClassPolicyDelegate;
 import org.alfresco.repo.policy.JavaBehaviour;
 import org.alfresco.repo.policy.PolicyComponent;
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ public class ContentServiceImpl implements ContentService
 
         // Bind on update properties behaviour
         this.policyComponent.bindClassBehaviour(
-                QName.createQName(NamespaceService.ALFRESCO_URI, "onUpdateProperties"),
+                NodeServicePolicies.OnUpdatePropertiesPolicy.QNAME,
                 this,
                 new JavaBehaviour(this, "onUpdateProperties"));
         
@@ -197,6 +198,12 @@ public class ContentServiceImpl implements ContentService
             Map<QName, Serializable> before,
             Map<QName, Serializable> after)
     {
+        // ALF-254: empty files (0 bytes) do not trigger content rules
+        if (nodeService.hasAspect(nodeRef, ContentModel.ASPECT_NO_CONTENT))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+    	
         // Don't duplicate work when firing multiple policies
         Set<QName> types = null;
         OnContentPropertyUpdatePolicy propertyPolicy = null;            // Doesn't change for the node instance
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/cleanup/EagerContentStoreCleaner.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/cleanup/EagerContentStoreCleaner.java
index 6c2fdd1521..07e03394a0 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/cleanup/EagerContentStoreCleaner.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/content/cleanup/EagerContentStoreCleaner.java
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ import org.alfresco.repo.content.ContentStore;
 import org.alfresco.repo.transaction.AlfrescoTransactionSupport;
 import org.alfresco.repo.transaction.TransactionListenerAdapter;
 import org.alfresco.repo.transaction.TransactionalResourceHelper;
-import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.ContentData;
-import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
-import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
 import org.alfresco.util.PropertyCheck;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
@@ -69,13 +66,11 @@ public class EagerContentStoreCleaner extends TransactionListenerAdapter
 {
     /**
      * Content URLs to delete once the transaction commits.
-     * @see #onContentPropertyUpdate(NodeRef, QName, ContentData, ContentData)
      * @see #afterCommit()
      */
     private static final String KEY_POST_COMMIT_DELETION_URLS = "ContentStoreCleaner.PostCommitDeletionUrls";
     /**
-     * Content URLs to delete if the transaction rolls b ack.
-     * @see #onContentPropertyUpdate(NodeRef, QName, ContentData, ContentData)
+     * Content URLs to delete if the transaction rolls back.
      * @see #afterRollback()
      */
     private static final String KEY_POST_ROLLBACK_DELETION_URLS = "ContentStoreCleaner.PostRollbackDeletionUrls";
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/ContentData.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/ContentData.java
index 4d362c4a7a..19ee93307e 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/ContentData.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/service/cmr/repository/ContentData.java
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public class ContentData implements Serializable
      * Helper method to determine if the data represents any physical content or not.
      * 
      * @param contentData           the content to check (may be <tt>null</tt>)
-     * @return                      <tt>true</tt> if the value is non-null and has a content URL of non-zero length
+     * @return                      <tt>true</tt> if the value is non-null
      */
     public static boolean hasContent(ContentData contentData)
     {
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ public class ContentData implements Serializable
         {
             return false;
         }
-        return (contentData.contentUrl != null) && (contentData.size > 0L);
+        return contentData.contentUrl != null;
     }
     
     /**