diff --git a/changelog/63033.fixed b/changelog/63033.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..11687bd183c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/63033.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix file.retention_schedule always reports changes
diff --git a/salt/states/file.py b/salt/states/file.py
index db0b5a41d69..5cec0deb97f 100644
--- a/salt/states/file.py
+++ b/salt/states/file.py
@@ -4609,6 +4609,7 @@ def retention_schedule(name, retain, strptime_format=None, timezone=None):
     Apply retention scheduling to backup storage directory.
 
     .. versionadded:: 2016.11.0
+    .. versionchanged:: 3006.0
 
     :param name:
         The filesystem path to the directory containing backups to be managed.
@@ -4671,7 +4672,7 @@ def retention_schedule(name, retain, strptime_format=None, timezone=None):
     name = os.path.expanduser(name)
     ret = {
         "name": name,
-        "changes": {"retained": [], "deleted": [], "ignored": []},
+        "changes": {},
         "result": True,
         "comment": "",
     }
@@ -4785,7 +4786,8 @@ def retention_schedule(name, retain, strptime_format=None, timezone=None):
         "deleted": deletable_files,
         "ignored": sorted(list(ignored_files), reverse=True),
     }
-    ret["changes"] = changes
+    if deletable_files:
+        ret["changes"] = changes
 
     # TODO: track and report how much space was / would be reclaimed
     if __opts__["test"]:
@@ -4800,7 +4802,6 @@ def retention_schedule(name, retain, strptime_format=None, timezone=None):
         ret["comment"] = "{} backups were removed from {}.\n".format(
             len(deletable_files), name
         )
-        ret["changes"] = changes
 
     return ret
 
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/states/file/test_retention_schedule.py b/tests/pytests/unit/states/file/test_retention_schedule.py
index f948338727d..3e9179afcbf 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/states/file/test_retention_schedule.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/states/file/test_retention_schedule.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def test_retention_schedule():
     def run_checks(isdir=mock_t, strptime_format=None, test=False):
         expected_ret = {
             "name": fake_name,
-            "changes": {"retained": [], "deleted": [], "ignored": []},
+            "changes": {},
             "result": True,
             "comment": "Name provided to file.retention must be a directory",
         }