diff --git a/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto b/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto
index 95abc1b94..365c95e10 100755
--- a/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto
+++ b/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto
@@ -1108,8 +1108,9 @@ UNLIKELY_EOF
       exit 1
     fi
 
-    if [ -d $OLD_VENV_PATH -a ! -L $OLD_VENV_PATH ]; then
-      ln -s $VENV_PATH $OLD_VENV_PATH
+    if [ -d "$OLD_VENV_PATH" -a ! -L "$OLD_VENV_PATH" ]; then
+      rm -rf "$OLD_VENV_PATH"
+      ln -s "$VENV_PATH" "$OLD_VENV_PATH"
     fi
 
     say "Installation succeeded."
diff --git a/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto.template b/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto.template
index 288bbec42..7ecb35422 100755
--- a/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto.template
+++ b/letsencrypt-auto-source/letsencrypt-auto.template
@@ -393,8 +393,9 @@ UNLIKELY_EOF
       exit 1
     fi
 
-    if [ -d $OLD_VENV_PATH -a ! -L $OLD_VENV_PATH ]; then
-      ln -s $VENV_PATH $OLD_VENV_PATH
+    if [ -d "$OLD_VENV_PATH" -a ! -L "$OLD_VENV_PATH" ]; then
+      rm -rf "$OLD_VENV_PATH"
+      ln -s "$VENV_PATH" "$OLD_VENV_PATH"
     fi
 
     say "Installation succeeded."