diff --git a/openwisp-config/files/sbin/openwisp-update-config.lua b/openwisp-config/files/sbin/openwisp-update-config.lua
index 78fda48..64cefba 100755
--- a/openwisp-config/files/sbin/openwisp-update-config.lua
+++ b/openwisp-config/files/sbin/openwisp-update-config.lua
@@ -154,34 +154,33 @@ if lfs.attributes(remote_config_dir, 'mode') == 'directory' then
       -- if there's no backup of the file yet, create one
       if not utils.file_exists(stored_path) then
         os.execute('cp ' .. standard_path .. ' ' .. stored_path)
-        if utils.file_exists(remote_path) then
-          for key, section in pairs(stored:get_all(file)) do
-            -- check if section is in remote configuration
-            local section_check = check:get(file, section['.name'])
-            if section_check then
-              -- check if options is in remote configuration
-              for option, value in pairs(section) do
-                if not utils.starts_with_dot(option) then
-                  local option_check = check:get(file, section['.name'], option)
-                  if option_check then
-                    -- if option is in remote configuration, remove it
-                    stored:delete(file, section['.name'], option)
-                  end
+
+        for _, section in pairs(stored:get_all(file)) do
+          -- check if section is in remote configuration
+          local section_check = check:get(file, section['.name'])
+          if section_check then
+            -- check if options is in remote configuration
+            for option, value in pairs(section) do
+              if not utils.starts_with_dot(option) then
+                local option_check = check:get(file, section['.name'], option)
+                if option_check then
+                  -- if option is in remote configuration, remove it
+                  stored:delete(file, section['.name'], option)
                 end
               end
-              -- remove entire section if empty
-              local result = stored:get_all(file, section['.name'])
-              if result and utils.is_uci_empty(result) then
-                stored:delete(file, section['.name'])
-              end
+            end
+            -- remove entire section if empty
+            local result = stored:get_all(file, section['.name'])
+            if result and utils.is_uci_empty(result) then
+              stored:delete(file, section['.name'])
             end
           end
-          stored:commit(file)
-          -- remove uci file if empty
-          local uci_file = stored:get_all(file)
-          if uci_file and utils.is_table_empty(uci_file) then
-            os.remove(stored_path)
-          end
+        end
+        stored:commit(file)
+        -- remove uci file if empty
+        local uci_file = stored:get_all(file)
+        if uci_file and utils.is_table_empty(uci_file) then
+          os.remove(stored_path)
         end
       end
       -- MERGE mode