diff --git a/autoload/pathogen.vim b/autoload/pathogen.vim
index 6f0a4e3..fbd4bc5 100644
--- a/autoload/pathogen.vim
+++ b/autoload/pathogen.vim
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ let s:done_bundles = ''
 " Invoke :helptags on all non-$VIM doc directories in runtimepath.
 function! pathogen#helptags() " {{{1
   for dir in pathogen#split(&rtp)
-    if dir[0 : strlen($VIM)-1] !=# $VIM && isdirectory(dir.'/doc') && (!filereadable(dir.'/doc/tags') || filewritable(dir.'/doc/tags'))
+    if dir[0 : strlen($VIM)-1] !=# $VIM && isdirectory(dir.'/doc') && !empty(glob(dir.'/doc/*')) && (!filereadable(dir.'/doc/tags') || filewritable(dir.'/doc/tags'))
       helptags `=dir.'/doc'`
     endif
   endfor