diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
index 26d390454..8d50bc2fd 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ fi
 # Constants
 SYSTEM_START_TIME=$(date -d "$(</proc/uptime awk '{print $1}') seconds ago" +%s)
 # file populated by salt.lasthighstate state at end of successful highstate run
-LAST_HIGHSTATE_END=$([ -f "/opt/so/log/salt/lasthighstate" ] && date -r /opt/so/log/salt/lasthighstate +%s || echo 0)
+LAST_HIGHSTATE_END=$([ -e "/opt/so/log/salt/lasthighstate" ] && date -r /opt/so/log/salt/lasthighstate +%s || echo 0)
 HIGHSTATE_RUNNING=$(salt-call --local saltutil.running --out=json | jq -r '.local[].fun' | grep -q 'state.highstate' && echo $?)
 ERROR_STRING="ERROR"
 SUCCESS_STRING="OK"