diff --git a/backend/b2/b2.go b/backend/b2/b2.go
index f5c3f7a2c..590314250 100644
--- a/backend/b2/b2.go
+++ b/backend/b2/b2.go
@@ -1500,11 +1500,6 @@ func (o *Object) Update(in io.Reader, src fs.ObjectInfo, options ...fs.OpenOptio
 		},
 		ContentLength: &size,
 	}
-	// for go1.8 (see release notes) we must nil the Body if we want a
-	// "Content-Length: 0" header which b2 requires for all files.
-	if size == 0 {
-		opts.Body = nil
-	}
 	var response api.FileInfo
 	// Don't retry, return a retry error instead
 	err = o.fs.pacer.CallNoRetry(func() (bool, error) {
diff --git a/backend/onedrive/onedrive.go b/backend/onedrive/onedrive.go
index 890a7d48e..6545680c2 100644
--- a/backend/onedrive/onedrive.go
+++ b/backend/onedrive/onedrive.go
@@ -1560,10 +1560,6 @@ func (o *Object) uploadSinglepart(in io.Reader, size int64, modTime time.Time) (
 		}
 	}
 
-	if size == 0 {
-		opts.Body = nil
-	}
-
 	err = o.fs.pacer.Call(func() (bool, error) {
 		resp, err = o.fs.srv.CallJSON(&opts, nil, &info)
 		if apiErr, ok := err.(*api.Error); ok {
diff --git a/lib/rest/rest.go b/lib/rest/rest.go
index 72a740759..bca249053 100644
--- a/lib/rest/rest.go
+++ b/lib/rest/rest.go
@@ -198,7 +198,17 @@ func (api *Client) Call(opts *Opts) (resp *http.Response, err error) {
 	if opts.Parameters != nil && len(opts.Parameters) > 0 {
 		url += "?" + opts.Parameters.Encode()
 	}
-	req, err := http.NewRequest(opts.Method, url, opts.Body)
+	body := opts.Body
+	// If length is set and zero then nil out the body to stop use
+	// use of chunked encoding and insert a "Content-Length: 0"
+	// header.
+	//
+	// If we don't do this we get "Content-Length" headers for all
+	// files except 0 length files.
+	if opts.ContentLength != nil && *opts.ContentLength == 0 {
+		body = nil
+	}
+	req, err := http.NewRequest(opts.Method, url, body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}