diff --git a/certbot-dns-dnsimple/snap/hooks/pre-refresh b/certbot-dns-dnsimple/snap/hooks/pre-refresh
index 8998fecb5..bf1521d22 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-dnsimple/snap/hooks/pre-refresh
+++ b/certbot-dns-dnsimple/snap/hooks/pre-refresh
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/sh -e
 
-first_install="$(snapctl get first-install)"
-if [ -z "$first_install" ]; then
-    snapctl set first-install="false"
-    echo "first install, not doing any version comparison checks" >> "$SNAP_DATA/debuglog"
-    exit 0
-fi
-
 echo "ls $SNAP/certbot-shared:" >> "$SNAP_DATA/debuglog"
 ls $SNAP/certbot-shared >> "$SNAP_DATA/debuglog"
+
+if [ ! -f "$SNAP/certbot-shared/__init__.py" ]; then
+    echo "No certbot version available; not doing version comparison check" >> "$SNAP_DATA/debuglog"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
 cb_installed=$(grep -oP "__version__ = '\K.*(?=')" $SNAP/certbot-shared/__init__.py)
 echo "cb_installed: $cb_installed" >> "$SNAP_DATA/debuglog"
 snapctl set cb-installed="$cb_installed"