diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 6623edc0e1c32c8309f440c5e7a6b63621018b80..b39a1010aef21b43ffcb6a7949b74a6ccc6397cc 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ else
   SIF="$PREFIX/local/lib/${CONTAINER}-${VERSION}.sif"
   if [ -d /cvmfs/singularity.opensciencegrid.org/eicweb/${CONTAINER}:${VERSION} ]; then
     SIF="$PREFIX/local/lib/${CONTAINER}-${VERSION}"
+    ## need to cleanup in this case, else it will try to make a subdirectory
+    rm -rf ${SIF}
     ln -sf /cvmfs/singularity.opensciencegrid.org/eicweb/${CONTAINER}:${VERSION} ${SIF}
   elif [ -f /cvmfs/eic.opensciencegrid.org/singularity/athena/${CONTAINER}_v${VERSION}.sif ]; then
     ln -sf /cvmfs/eic.opensciencegrid.org/singularity/athena/${CONTAINER}_v${VERSION}.sif ${SIF}