cannot check files or directories that do not exists

[Moshe Cohen]

Hi,
When I try to check for a file that does not exist I get:
/home/moshe/monitrc:30: Error: the path '/home/moshe/ff' used in the TIMESTAMP statement does not exist '/home/moshe/ff'

This is quite disturbing as many files that I would like to test against do not exists when i start Monit. Actually, Monit will indirectly cause them to be created.

I read the archives and saw this was reported a long time ago and the release notes for 4.8 include:

* Removed a feature introduced in 4.7 which tested that a
  check-file, check-directory or check-fifo actually refered
  to an existing object of that type. Monit should not require
  these file objects to exist at startup.

I am using 4.9 now and have the problem. I also tested 4.8 and 4.8.2 and the problem exists there too.

This is an example of usage:
check directory sbin with path /home/moshe/ff
        if changed timestamp
         then alert

TIA for any help
Moshe