diff --git a/src/usr/local/bin/validate_workflow.sh b/src/usr/local/bin/validate_workflow.sh
index abe6a1c9a8a74b25d28f8acc1ecbc01f2c8aa372..cb32d830aafcf036dc9b346e8c3791ad78b1e79f 100755
--- a/src/usr/local/bin/validate_workflow.sh
+++ b/src/usr/local/bin/validate_workflow.sh
@@ -425,9 +425,10 @@ exec_cmd() {
     check_argument_notempty "${stage}"
     check_argument_notempty "${log}"
     start_t=$(date +"%s")
+    touch "${log}"
+    chmod o+w "${log}"
     debug "scan_file, calling cmd='${cmd}'"
         eval "${cmd} >>\"${log}\" 2>&1"
-    chmod o+w "${log}"
     local is_valid=$?
     check_argument_notempty "${is_valid}"
     stop_t=$(date +"%s")