diff --git a/plugins/ps/functions.go b/plugins/ps/functions.go
index 35cd87939..4a6183d6a 100644
--- a/plugins/ps/functions.go
+++ b/plugins/ps/functions.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func extractOrGenerateScalefile(appName string, image string) error {
 	}
 
 	common.LogInfo1Quiet("DOKKU_SCALE file not found in app image. Generating one based on Procfile...")
-	if err := generateScalefile(appName); err != nil {
+	if err := updateScalefile(appName, make(map[string]int)); err != nil {
 		common.LogDebug(fmt.Sprintf("Error generating scale file: %s", err.Error()))
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/plugins/ps/subcommands.go b/plugins/ps/subcommands.go
index 3be60b88d..75182c591 100644
--- a/plugins/ps/subcommands.go
+++ b/plugins/ps/subcommands.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func CommandScale(appName string, skipDeploy bool, processTuples []string) error
 
 	if !hasScaleFile(appName) {
 		err := common.SuppressOutput(func() error {
-			return generateScalefile(appName)
+			return updateScalefile(appName, make(map[string]int))
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/plugins/ps/triggers.go b/plugins/ps/triggers.go
index 6decd3f80..93dd579a9 100644
--- a/plugins/ps/triggers.go
+++ b/plugins/ps/triggers.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func TriggerPostCreate(appName string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return generateScalefile(appName)
+	return updateScalefile(appName, make(map[string]int))
 }
 
 // TriggerPostDelete destroys the ps properties for a given app container