diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient
index dd22d6b3..08c9cfdf 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def partitionhostsline(line):
     names = names.split()
     return ipaddr, names, comment
 
-class HostMerger:
+class HostMerger(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.byip = {}
         self.byname = {}
@@ -75,8 +75,12 @@ class HostMerger:
     def write_out(self, targetfile):
         while not self.targlines[-1]:
             self.targlines = self.targlines[:-1]
+            if not self.targlines:
+                break
         while not self.sourcelines[-1]:
             self.sourcelines = self.sourcelines[:-1]
+            if not self.sourcelines:
+                break
         with open(targetfile, 'w') as hosts:
             for line in self.targlines:
                 hosts.write(line + '\n')