diff --git a/data/Dockerfiles/acme/docker-entrypoint.sh b/data/Dockerfiles/acme/docker-entrypoint.sh
index 78b523484..780b88b9f 100755
--- a/data/Dockerfiles/acme/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/data/Dockerfiles/acme/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ verify_challenge_path(){
 
 [[ ! -f ${ACME_BASE}/dhparams.pem ]] && cp ${SSL_EXAMPLE}/dhparams.pem ${ACME_BASE}/dhparams.pem
 
-if [[ -f ${ACME_BASE}/cert.pem ]] && [[ -f ${ACME_BASE}/key.pem ]]; then
+if [[ -f ${ACME_BASE}/cert.pem ]] && [[ -f ${ACME_BASE}/key.pem ]] && [[ $(stat -c%s ${ACME_BASE}/cert.pem) != 0 ]]; then
   ISSUER=$(openssl x509 -in ${ACME_BASE}/cert.pem -noout -issuer)
   if [[ ${ISSUER} != *"Let's Encrypt"* && ${ISSUER} != *"mailcow"* && ${ISSUER} != *"Fake LE Intermediate"* ]]; then
     log_f "Found certificate with issuer other than mailcow snake-oil CA and Let's Encrypt, skipping ACME client..."
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index b28605199..5341f4ebc 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ services:
     acme-mailcow:
       depends_on:
         - nginx-mailcow
-      image: mailcow/acme:1.52
+      image: mailcow/acme:1.53
       build: ./data/Dockerfiles/acme
       dns:
         - ${IPV4_NETWORK:-172.22.1}.254