diff --git a/global/init.go b/global/init.go
index 79c29ef..624cb98 100644
--- a/global/init.go
+++ b/global/init.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func DirInit(preserveOldConfigDir bool) (string, error) {
 	// get old device ID before its potential removal
 	oldDeviceID, err := GetCurrentDeviceID()
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.New("unable to get current device ID: " + err.Error())
+		oldDeviceID = FSMisc
 	}
 
 	// remove existing config directory (if it exists and not in append mode)
diff --git a/synccycles/init.go b/synccycles/init.go
index 8a2a8a4..370e41a 100644
--- a/synccycles/init.go
+++ b/synccycles/init.go
@@ -35,10 +35,12 @@ func DeviceIDGen(oldDeviceID string) (string, string, error) {
 	cleanupOnFail := func() {
 		// remove new device ID file
 		os.RemoveAll(newDeviceIDPath)
-		// restore old device ID file (if it has already been removed due to DirInit)
-		if isAccessible, _ := back.TargetIsFile(oldDeviceIDPath, true); !isAccessible {
-			f, _ := os.OpenFile(oldDeviceIDPath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0600)
-			_ = f.Close() // error ignored; if the file could be created, it can probably be closed
+		if oldDeviceID != global.FSMisc {
+			// restore old device ID file (if it existed and has already been removed due to DirInit)
+			if isAccessible, _ := back.TargetIsFile(oldDeviceIDPath, true); !isAccessible {
+				f, _ := os.OpenFile(oldDeviceIDPath, os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0600)
+				_ = f.Close() // error ignored; if the file could be created, it can probably be closed
+			}
 		}
 	}