diff --git a/bin/update b/bin/update
index fc19703..4eba293 100755
--- a/bin/update
+++ b/bin/update
@@ -60,7 +60,11 @@ _date_format() {
 
 _print_last_update() {
     if [ "$UPDATE_CHECK_TYPE" = "sliding" ]; then
-        date --date=@$(cat ~/.config/dotfiles/.data/update_date) +%x
+        if [ -s ~/.config/dotfiles/.data/update_date ]; then
+            date --date=@$(cat ~/.config/dotfiles/.data/update_date) +%x
+        else
+            echo never
+        fi
     else
         echo -e >&2 "\033[31;1merror:\033[0m last-update only available for sliding update check"
     fi
@@ -109,7 +113,7 @@ _check_date() {
     local new_date=`date $1`
     local updated=0
 
-    if [ "$UPDATE_CHECK_TYPE" = "sliding" ]; then
+    if [ -s ~/.config/dotfiles/.data/update_date ] && [ "$UPDATE_CHECK_TYPE" = "sliding" ]; then
         local diff=$(($new_date - $old_date))
         case $UPDATE_CHECK in
             "daily") [ $diff -lt 86400 ] && updated=1;;