diff --git a/fs/fs_bulk.go b/fs/fs_bulk.go
index 86b7f46..f77ca01 100644
--- a/fs/fs_bulk.go
+++ b/fs/fs_bulk.go
@@ -546,10 +546,12 @@ func (fs *FileSystem) UploadFile(localPath string, irodsPath string, resource st
 	} else {
 		switch entry.Type {
 		case FileEntry:
-			// delete first to prevent stale data
-			err = fs.RemoveFile(irodsDestPath, true)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to delete data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+			// truncate first to prevent stale data
+			if entry.Size > 0 {
+				err = fs.TruncateFile(irodsDestPath, 0)
+				if err != nil {
+					return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to truncate data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+				}
 			}
 		case DirectoryEntry:
 			localFileName := filepath.Base(localSrcPath)
@@ -623,10 +625,12 @@ func (fs *FileSystem) UploadFileFromBuffer(buffer bytes.Buffer, irodsPath string
 	} else {
 		switch entry.Type {
 		case FileEntry:
-			// delete first to prevent stale data
-			err = fs.RemoveFile(irodsDestPath, true)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to delete data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+			// truncate first to prevent stale data
+			if entry.Size > 0 {
+				err = fs.TruncateFile(irodsDestPath, 0)
+				if err != nil {
+					return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to truncate data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+				}
 			}
 		case DirectoryEntry:
 			return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("invalid entry type %s. Destination must be a file", entry.Type)
@@ -714,10 +718,12 @@ func (fs *FileSystem) UploadFileParallel(localPath string, irodsPath string, res
 	} else {
 		switch entry.Type {
 		case FileEntry:
-			// delete first to prevent stale data
-			err = fs.RemoveFile(irodsDestPath, true)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to delete data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+			// truncate first to prevent stale data
+			if entry.Size > 0 {
+				err = fs.TruncateFile(irodsDestPath, 0)
+				if err != nil {
+					return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to truncate data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+				}
 			}
 		case DirectoryEntry:
 			localFileName := filepath.Base(localSrcPath)
@@ -806,10 +812,12 @@ func (fs *FileSystem) UploadFileParallelRedirectToResource(localPath string, iro
 	} else {
 		switch entry.Type {
 		case FileEntry:
-			// delete first to prevent stale data
-			err = fs.RemoveFile(irodsDestPath, true)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to delete data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+			// truncate first to prevent stale data
+			if entry.Size > 0 {
+				err = fs.TruncateFile(irodsDestPath, 0)
+				if err != nil {
+					return fileTransferResult, xerrors.Errorf("failed to truncate data object %s for overwrite: %w", irodsDestPath, err)
+				}
 			}
 		case DirectoryEntry:
 			localFileName := filepath.Base(localSrcPath)
diff --git a/irods/types/object_type.go b/irods/types/object_type.go
index c0b0f77..7026283 100644
--- a/irods/types/object_type.go
+++ b/irods/types/object_type.go
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package types
 
+// ObjectType determines if the object is data object or collection in irods
 type ObjectType string
 
 const (