Title containing only symbols generates an output file called .html

• I have read the Filing Issues and subsequent “How to Get Help” sections of the documentation.

• I can reproduce this problem with stock/default settings file, theme, and sample content (as described in above “How to Get Help” sections of the documentation).

• I have searched the issues (including closed ones) and believe that this is not a duplicate.

• OS version and name: Windows 11

• Python version: 3.13

• Pelican version: Tested with 4.12.0 and 4.8.0

• Link to theme: Default

• Links to plugins: None

• Link to your site:

• Link to your source:

• Link to a Gist with the contents of your settings file:

Issue

When there is a content file with title made of symbols, then the generated slug is empty. The empty slug then creates a .html file as described in https://github.com/getpelican/pelican/issues/1469

Here is a content that triggers this

========================================
\~
========================================

:date: 2005-02-04 18:59
:category: General

Some content

Furthermore, the presence of the .html file in the output directory causes Pelican to return requests for the home page with application/octet-stream content type and the browser downloads the file instead of rendering it.

Also, doing a HEAD request on the home page returns content type as text/html since it seems HEAD requests take a different execution logic from GET requests.

All three can be verified on a fresh pelican 4.12.0 install with the content above.