diff --git a/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010.lua b/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010.lua
index 54d004db..b47597da 100644
--- a/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010.lua
+++ b/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010.lua
@@ -43,7 +43,12 @@
 			premake.generate(prj, ".csproj.user", vstudio.cs2005.generate_user)
 		elseif premake.project.iscpp(prj) then
 			premake.generate(prj, ".vcxproj", vstudio.vc2010.generate)
-			premake.generate(prj, ".vcxproj.user", vstudio.vc2010.generateUser)
+
+			-- Skip generation of empty user files
+			local user = p.capture(function() vstudio.vc2010.generateUser(prj) end)
+			if #user > 0 then
+				p.generate(prj, ".vcxproj.user", function() p.out(user) end)
+			end
 
 			-- Only generate a filters file if the source tree actually has subfolders
 			if tree.hasbranches(project.getsourcetree(prj)) then
diff --git a/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010_vcxproj_user.lua b/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010_vcxproj_user.lua
index 4cc462f1..de428c92 100755
--- a/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010_vcxproj_user.lua
+++ b/src/actions/vstudio/vs2010_vcxproj_user.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 --
 -- vs2010_vcxproj_user.lua
 -- Generate a Visual Studio 201x C/C++ project .user file
--- Copyright (c) 2011-2013 Jason Perkins and the Premake project
+-- Copyright (c) 2011-2015 Jason Perkins and the Premake project
 --
 
 	local p = premake
@@ -13,18 +13,43 @@
 
 
 --
--- Generate a Visual Studio 201x C++ user file, with support for the new platforms API.
+-- Generate a Visual Studio 201x C++ user file.
 --
 
+	m.elements.user = function(cfg)
+		return {
+			m.debugSettings,
+		}
+	end
+
 	function m.generateUser(prj)
-		m.xmlDeclaration()
-		m.userProject()
+		-- Only want output if there is something to configure
+		local contents = {}
+		local generate = false
+
 		for cfg in project.eachconfig(prj) do
-			p.push('<PropertyGroup %s>', m.condition(cfg))
-			m.debugSettings(cfg)
-			p.pop('</PropertyGroup>')
+			contents[cfg] = p.capture(function()
+				p.push(2)
+				p.callArray(m.elements.user, cfg)
+				p.pop(2)
+			end)
+			if #contents[cfg] > 0 then
+				generate = true
+			end
+		end
+
+		if generate then
+			m.xmlDeclaration()
+			m.userProject()
+			for cfg in project.eachconfig(prj) do
+				p.push('<PropertyGroup %s>', m.condition(cfg))
+				if #contents[cfg] > 0 then
+					p.outln(contents[cfg])
+				end
+				p.pop('</PropertyGroup>')
+			end
+			p.out('</Project>')
 		end
-		_p('</Project>')
 	end
 
 
diff --git a/tests/_tests.lua b/tests/_tests.lua
index 08deae23..6e9702c8 100644
--- a/tests/_tests.lua
+++ b/tests/_tests.lua
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ return {
 	"actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_project_configs.lua",
 	"actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_project_refs.lua",
 	"actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_prop_sheet.lua",
+	"actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_user_file.lua",
 	"actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_resource_compile.lua",
 	"actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_rule_vars.lua",
 
diff --git a/tests/actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_user_file.lua b/tests/actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_user_file.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ba935cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_user_file.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+--
+-- tests/actions/vstudio/vc2010/test_user_file.lua
+-- Verify handling of empty and non-empty .user files for VC'201x.
+-- Copyright (c) 2015 Jason Perkins and the Premake project
+--
+
+	local suite = test.declare("vstudio_vs2010_user_file")
+	local vc2010 = premake.vstudio.vc2010
+	local project = premake.project
+
+
+--
+-- Setup
+--
+
+	local sln
+
+	function suite.setup()
+		_ACTION = "vs2010"
+		sln = test.createsolution()
+	end
+
+	local function prepare()
+		local prj = test.getproject(sln, 1)
+		vc2010.generateUser(prj)
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If no debugger settings have been specified, then the .user
+-- file should not be written at all.
+--
+
+	function suite.noOutput_onNoSettings()
+		prepare()
+		test.isemptycapture()
+	end
+
+
+--
+-- If a debugger setting has been specified, output.
+--
+
+	function suite.doesOutput_onDebugSettings()
+		debugcommand "bin/emulator.exe"
+		prepare()
+		test.hasoutput()
+	end
+
diff --git a/tests/testfx.lua b/tests/testfx.lua
index ace5b256..5024bc76 100644
--- a/tests/testfx.lua
+++ b/tests/testfx.lua
@@ -121,6 +121,14 @@
 	end
 
 
+	function test.hasoutput()
+		local actual = premake.captured()
+		if actual == "" then
+			test.fail("expected output, received none");
+		end
+	end
+
+
 	function test.isemptycapture()
 		local actual = premake.captured()
 		if actual ~= "" then