diff --git a/monkey/infection_monkey/ransomware/ransomware_payload.py b/monkey/infection_monkey/ransomware/ransomware_payload.py
index b973716a8..327f3b581 100644
--- a/monkey/infection_monkey/ransomware/ransomware_payload.py
+++ b/monkey/infection_monkey/ransomware/ransomware_payload.py
@@ -56,12 +56,16 @@ class RansomwarePayload:
             return None
 
     def run_payload(self):
+        if not self._target_dir:
+            return
+
+        LOG.info("Running ransomware payload")
+
         if self._encryption_enabled and self._target_dir:
-            LOG.info("Running ransomware payload")
             file_list = self._find_files()
             self._encrypt_files(file_list)
 
-        if self._target_dir:
+        if self._readme_enabled:
             self._leave_readme()
 
     def _find_files(self) -> List[Path]:
@@ -93,8 +97,6 @@ class RansomwarePayload:
         self._telemetry_messenger.send_telemetry(encryption_attempt)
 
     def _leave_readme(self):
-        if not self._readme_enabled:
-            return
 
         readme_dest_path = self._target_dir / README_DEST
 
diff --git a/monkey/tests/unit_tests/infection_monkey/ransomware/test_ransomware_payload.py b/monkey/tests/unit_tests/infection_monkey/ransomware/test_ransomware_payload.py
index 37af9509e..3c911927c 100644
--- a/monkey/tests/unit_tests/infection_monkey/ransomware/test_ransomware_payload.py
+++ b/monkey/tests/unit_tests/infection_monkey/ransomware/test_ransomware_payload.py
@@ -247,13 +247,18 @@ def test_readme_already_exists(
 
 
 def test_no_readme_if_no_directory(
-    build_ransomware_payload, ransomware_payload_config, ransomware_target
+    monkeypatch, ransomware_payload_config, telemetry_messenger_spy, ransomware_target
 ):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(ransomware_payload_module, "TARGETED_FILE_EXTENSIONS", set()),
+    mock_copy_file = MagicMock()
+
     ransomware_payload_config["encryption"]["enabled"] = True
     ransomware_payload_config["encryption"]["directories"]["linux_target_dir"] = ""
     ransomware_payload_config["encryption"]["directories"]["windows_target_dir"] = ""
     ransomware_payload_config["other_behaviors"]["readme"] = True
-    ransomware_payload = build_ransomware_payload(ransomware_payload_config)
 
-    ransomware_payload.run_payload()
-    assert not Path(ransomware_target / README_DEST).exists()
+    RansomwarePayload(
+        ransomware_payload_config, telemetry_messenger_spy, mock_copy_file
+    ).run_payload()
+
+    mock_copy_file.assert_not_called()