diff --git a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/DeployJob.java b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/DeployJob.java
index 478c5f3c3..159d43328 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/DeployJob.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/DeployJob.java
@@ -402,12 +402,12 @@ else if ("true".equals(System.getenv("RUN_E2E"))) {
                     status.fail("Failed to create directories for otp-runner E2E manifest.");
                     return;
                 }
+                otpManifestFile.createNewFile();
                 try (
                     FileWriter fw =  new FileWriter(otpManifestFile)
                 ) {
                     ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
                     mapper.setSerializationInclusion(JsonInclude.Include.NON_EMPTY);
-                    otpManifestFile.createNewFile();
                     fw.write(mapper.writeValueAsString(manifest));
                 } catch (JsonProcessingException e) {
                     status.fail("Failed to create E2E manifest for otp-runner!", e);