Updating a node with no alias doesn´t create alias

When updating a node with no previous url alias set (no matter whatever the reason for this could be, e.g.: bulk update failed) and leaving URL path settings field blank so pathauto takes care, no alias is assigned despite getting the message "Created new alias go/russia for node/3082".

I´ve detected so far that pathauto.module inserts a new alias entry {url_alias} table for the node by means of hook_nodeapi 'update' call, but afterwards path.module deletes it since found $node->path is empty.

Attached you will find a patch to overcome this issue.