diff --git a/deluge/core/core.py b/deluge/core/core.py
index 198410e31..c7428baa2 100644
--- a/deluge/core/core.py
+++ b/deluge/core/core.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from base64 import b64decode, b64encode
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 from urllib.request import URLError, urlopen
 
-from twisted.internet import defer, reactor, task
+from twisted.internet import defer, reactor, task, threads
 from twisted.web.client import Agent, readBody
 
 import deluge.common
@@ -992,13 +992,13 @@ class Core(component.Component):
         path,
         tracker,
         piece_length,
-        comment,
-        target,
-        webseeds,
-        private,
-        created_by,
-        trackers,
-        add_to_session,
+        comment=None,
+        target=None,
+        webseeds=None,
+        private=False,
+        created_by=None,
+        trackers=None,
+        add_to_session=False,
     ):
         log.debug('creating torrent..')
         threading.Thread(
@@ -1032,24 +1032,35 @@ class Core(component.Component):
     ):
         from deluge import metafile
 
-        metafile.make_meta_file(
+        filecontent = metafile.make_meta_file_content(
             path,
             tracker,
             piece_length,
             comment=comment,
-            target=target,
             webseeds=webseeds,
             private=private,
             created_by=created_by,
             trackers=trackers,
         )
+
+        write_file = False
+        if target or not add_to_session:
+            write_file = True
+
+        if not target:
+            target = metafile.default_meta_file_path(path)
+        filename = os.path.split(target)[-1]
+
+        if write_file:
+            with open(target, 'wb') as _file:
+                _file.write(filecontent)
+
         log.debug('torrent created!')
         if add_to_session:
             options = {}
             options['download_location'] = os.path.split(path)[0]
-            with open(target, 'rb') as _file:
-                filedump = b64encode(_file.read())
-                self.add_torrent_file(os.path.split(target)[1], filedump, options)
+            filedump = b64encode(filecontent)
+            self.add_torrent_file(filename, filedump, options)
 
     @export
     def upload_plugin(self, filename: str, filedump: Union[str, bytes]) -> None:
diff --git a/deluge/metafile.py b/deluge/metafile.py
index cd6545a75..906cc81e3 100644
--- a/deluge/metafile.py
+++ b/deluge/metafile.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class RemoteFileProgress:
         )
 
 
-def make_meta_file(
+def make_meta_file_content(
     path,
     url,
     piece_length,
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ def make_meta_file(
     comment=None,
     safe=None,
     content_type=None,
-    target=None,
     webseeds=None,
     name=None,
     private=False,
@@ -70,14 +69,6 @@ def make_meta_file(
     data = {'creation date': int(gmtime())}
     if url:
         data['announce'] = url.strip()
-    a, b = os.path.split(path)
-    if not target:
-        if b == '':
-            f = a + '.torrent'
-        else:
-            f = os.path.join(a, b + '.torrent')
-    else:
-        f = target
 
     if progress is None:
         progress = dummy
@@ -121,8 +112,55 @@ def make_meta_file(
         data['announce-list'] = trackers
 
     data['encoding'] = 'UTF-8'
-    with open(f, 'wb') as file_:
-        file_.write(bencode(utf8_encode_structure(data)))
+    return bencode(utf8_encode_structure(data))
+
+
+def default_meta_file_path(content_path):
+    a, b = os.path.split(content_path)
+    if b == '':
+        f = a + '.torrent'
+    else:
+        f = os.path.join(a, b + '.torrent')
+    return f
+
+
+def make_meta_file(
+    path,
+    url,
+    piece_length,
+    progress=None,
+    title=None,
+    comment=None,
+    safe=None,
+    content_type=None,
+    target=None,
+    webseeds=None,
+    name=None,
+    private=False,
+    created_by=None,
+    trackers=None,
+):
+    if not target:
+        target = default_meta_file_path(path)
+
+    file_content = make_meta_file_content(
+        path,
+        url,
+        piece_length,
+        progress=progress,
+        title=title,
+        comment=comment,
+        safe=safe,
+        content_type=content_type,
+        webseeds=webseeds,
+        name=name,
+        private=private,
+        created_by=created_by,
+        trackers=trackers,
+    )
+
+    with open(target, 'wb') as file_:
+        file_.write(file_content)
 
 
 def calcsize(path):