diff --git a/plugins/checks/check-deploy b/plugins/checks/check-deploy
index 53896ad76f5..d954b073f59 100755
--- a/plugins/checks/check-deploy
+++ b/plugins/checks/check-deploy
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ checks_check_deploy() {
     dokku_log_info1 "Default container check successful!" && exit 0
   fi
 
+  # ensure CHECKS file has trailing newline
+  if [[ "$(tail -c1 "$FILENAME")" != "" ]]; then
+    echo "" >> "$FILENAME"
+  fi
+
   # Reads name/value pairs, sets the WAIT and TIMEOUT variables
   exec < "$FILENAME"
   local LINE
diff --git a/tests/apps/nodejs-express/CHECKS b/tests/apps/nodejs-express/CHECKS
index f1d88bab389..1f4f0eb05c8 100644
--- a/tests/apps/nodejs-express/CHECKS
+++ b/tests/apps/nodejs-express/CHECKS
@@ -1 +1 @@
-/ nodejs/express
+/ nodejs/express
\ No newline at end of file