diff --git a/deploy-tws-motd b/deploy-tws-motd
index 1b7a906..6747c70 100644
--- a/deploy-tws-motd
+++ b/deploy-tws-motd
@@ -8,14 +8,20 @@
     tws_short: "TWS"
 
   tasks:
-    - name: Disable default Ubuntu MOTD noise
-      file:
+    - name: Check for default Ubuntu MOTD scripts
+      stat:
         path: "/etc/update-motd.d/{{ item }}"
-        mode: "0644"
       loop:
         - 10-help-text
         - 50-motd-news
-      ignore_errors: true
+      register: motd_scripts
+
+    - name: Disable default Ubuntu MOTD noise
+      file:
+        path: "{{ item.stat.path }}"
+        mode: "0644"
+      loop: "{{ motd_scripts.results }}"
+      when: item.stat.exists
 
     - name: Deploy TWS MOTD script
       copy: