diff --git a/src/backend/PatchRecordComponent.cpp b/src/backend/PatchRecordComponent.cpp
index 984f09f051..4e70830d72 100644
--- a/src/backend/PatchRecordComponent.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/PatchRecordComponent.cpp
@@ -89,21 +89,6 @@ PatchRecordComponent::flush(std::string const& name)
             dCreate.compression = m_dataset->compression;
             dCreate.transform = m_dataset->transform;
             IOHandler->enqueue(IOTask(this, dCreate));
-            if( m_chunks->empty() )
-            {
-                /* Ensure at least one WRITE_DATASET per dataset occurs
-                 * ADIOS1 backend only creates a dataset after at least once cell has been written */
-                Parameter< Operation::WRITE_DATASET > dWrite;
-                auto uptr = auxiliary::allocatePtr(dCreate.dtype, 1);
-                std::shared_ptr< void > data{std::move(uptr)};
-                dWrite.data = data;
-                dWrite.dtype = dCreate.dtype;
-                if( dWrite.dtype == Datatype::UNDEFINED )
-                    throw std::runtime_error("Dataset has not been defined for ParticlePatch RecordComponent " + name);
-                dWrite.extent = Extent(getDimensionality(), 1);
-                dWrite.offset = Offset(getDimensionality(), 0);
-                m_chunks->push(IOTask(this, dWrite));
-            }
         }
 
         while( !m_chunks->empty() )