diff --git a/bin/cat/cat.c b/bin/cat/cat.c
index 770ab61a08a4..57d48028906e 100644
--- a/bin/cat/cat.c
+++ b/bin/cat/cat.c
@@ -226,10 +226,16 @@ cook_cat(FILE *fp)
 				} else
 					gobble = 0;
 			}
-			if (nflag && (!bflag || ch != '\n')) {
-				(void)fprintf(stdout, "%6d\t", ++line);
-				if (ferror(stdout))
-					break;
+			if (nflag) {
+				if (!bflag || ch != '\n') {
+					(void)fprintf(stdout, "%6d\t", ++line);
+					if (ferror(stdout))
+						break;
+				} else if (eflag) {
+					(void)fprintf(stdout, "%6s\t", "");
+					if (ferror(stdout))
+						break;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		if (ch == '\n') {
diff --git a/bin/cat/tests/Makefile b/bin/cat/tests/Makefile
index 92e16aea1732..ebc313c5a091 100644
--- a/bin/cat/tests/Makefile
+++ b/bin/cat/tests/Makefile
@@ -17,10 +17,4 @@ ${PACKAGE}FILES+=		d_vt_output.out
 
 .include <netbsd-tests.test.mk>
 
-d_align.out: ${TESTSRC}/d_align.out
-	sed -E -e 's,^[[:space:]]{7}\$$$$,\$$,' < ${.ALLSRC} > ${.TARGET}.tmp
-	mv ${.TARGET}.tmp ${.TARGET}
-
-CLEANFILES+=			d_align.out d_align.out.tmp
-
 .include <bsd.test.mk>