Error on extracting 0-byte files

[Jens B.]

I tried extracting backup files created by duplicity/deja-dup.
Those programms create a folder deleted where files that were deleted are stored, they all have size 0.

On extraction tar tries to handle those 0-byte files as directories and then complains that those files are not directories.
I believe this is a problem with the size.

Can anyone confirm this?
Is there a workarround available?

Kind regards

Jens

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: tar 1.26-4ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.37-generic 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu May 10 11:24:42 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120414)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: tar
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)