diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/scratch/ScratchFileServiceImpl.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/scratch/ScratchFileServiceImpl.java
index c46db97f7546..a991bb85fafe 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/scratch/ScratchFileServiceImpl.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/scratch/ScratchFileServiceImpl.java
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ public class ScratchFileServiceImpl extends ScratchFileService implements Persis
         return VfsUtil.createChildSequent(LocalFileSystem.getInstance(), dir, fileName, StringUtil.notNullize(ext));
       }
       else {
-        return dir.createChildData(LocalFileSystem.getInstance(), fileNameExt);
+        return dir.findOrCreateChildData(LocalFileSystem.getInstance(), fileNameExt);
       }
     });
   }