diff --git a/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.cpp b/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.cpp
index a63629b80f..d16790b55a 100644
--- a/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.cpp
+++ b/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.cpp
@@ -75,16 +75,9 @@ VfsEntryType RealVfsFilesystem::GetEntryType(std::string_view path_) const {
 VirtualFile RealVfsFilesystem::OpenFile(std::string_view path_, Mode perms) {
     const auto path = FS::SanitizePath(path_, FS::DirectorySeparator::PlatformDefault);
 
-    this->EvictSingleReference();
-
-    auto backing = FS::FileOpen(path, ModeFlagsToFileAccessMode(perms), FS::FileType::BinaryFile);
-    if (!backing) {
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    num_open_files++;
-    auto reference = std::make_unique<FileReference>(std::move(backing));
+    auto reference = std::make_unique<FileReference>();
     this->InsertReferenceIntoList(*reference);
+
     return std::shared_ptr<RealVfsFile>(new RealVfsFile(*this, std::move(reference), path, perms));
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.h b/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.h
index f29c69fbd2..48dc2698a3 100644
--- a/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.h
+++ b/src/core/file_sys/vfs_real.h
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ class IOFile;
 namespace FileSys {
 
 struct FileReference : public Common::IntrusiveListBaseNode<FileReference> {
-    FileReference(std::shared_ptr<Common::FS::IOFile>&& f) : file(f) {}
-    std::shared_ptr<Common::FS::IOFile> file;
+    std::shared_ptr<Common::FS::IOFile> file{};
 };
 
 class RealVfsFile;