diff --git a/stack/base-with-services/before-notebook.d/20_start-postgresql.sh b/stack/base-with-services/before-notebook.d/20_start-postgresql.sh
index bed884b4..57292fb0 100644
--- a/stack/base-with-services/before-notebook.d/20_start-postgresql.sh
+++ b/stack/base-with-services/before-notebook.d/20_start-postgresql.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ else
     chmod -R g-rwxs "${PGDATA}"
 
     if [[ -f ${PGDATA}/logfile ]]; then
-         mv "${PSQL_LOGFILE}" "${PSQL_LOGFILE}.1" && gzip "${PSQL_LOGFILE}.1"
+        rm -f "${PSQL_LOGFILE}.1.gz"
+        mv "${PSQL_LOGFILE}" "${PSQL_LOGFILE}.1" && gzip "${PSQL_LOGFILE}.1"
     fi
     # Cleaning up the mess if PostgreSQL was not shutdown properly.
     rm -vf "${PGDATA}/postmaster.pid"
diff --git a/stack/base/before-notebook.d/40_prepare-aiida.sh b/stack/base/before-notebook.d/40_prepare-aiida.sh
index bb6adca0..d3d97643 100755
--- a/stack/base/before-notebook.d/40_prepare-aiida.sh
+++ b/stack/base/before-notebook.d/40_prepare-aiida.sh
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ load_computer('${computer_name}').set_minimum_job_poll_interval(${job_poll_inter
 else
 
   # Migration will run for the default profile.
+  pgrep -af 'verdi.* daemon' && echo "ERROR: AiiDA daemon is already running!" && exit 1
+  ## clean up stale PID-files -> .aiida/daemon/circus-{profile-name}.pid
+  rm -f /home/${NB_USER}/.aiida/daemon/circus-*.pid
   verdi storage migrate --force
 
 fi