diff --git a/salt/common/soup_scripts.sls b/salt/common/soup_scripts.sls
index c02f11172..9c3b8ad3a 100644
--- a/salt/common/soup_scripts.sls
+++ b/salt/common/soup_scripts.sls
@@ -6,11 +6,8 @@ remove_common_so-firewall:
   file.absent:
     - name: /opt/so/saltstack/default/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-firewall
 
-{% if salt['pillar.get']('global:airgap') %}
-{%   set UPDATE_DIR='/tmp/soagupdate/SecurityOnion'%}
-{% else %}
-{%   set UPDATE_DIR='/tmp/sogh/securityonion'%}
-{% endif %}
+{# this pillar isn't defined anywhere. it is passed in from soup when the state is called #}
+{% set UPDATE_DIR= salt['pillar.get']('UPDATE_DIR') %}
 
 copy_so-common_common_tools_sbin:
   file.copy:
diff --git a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup
index 8b9d4a6b3..c44883d15 100755
--- a/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup
+++ b/salt/manager/tools/sbin/soup
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ verify_latest_update_script() {
       echo "Succesfully updated soup scripts."
     else
       echo "There was a problem updating soup scripts. Trying to rerun script update."
-      salt-call state.apply common.soup_scripts queue=True -linfo --file-root=$UPDATE_DIR/salt --local
+      salt-call state.apply common.soup_scripts queue=True -linfo --file-root=$UPDATE_DIR/salt --local pillar="{'UPDATE_DIR': $UPDATE_DIR}"
     fi
 
     echo ""