diff --git a/src/local-ai-install.ts b/src/local-ai-install.ts
index 78e8476..c2dffc2 100644
--- a/src/local-ai-install.ts
+++ b/src/local-ai-install.ts
@@ -114,17 +114,6 @@ export async function withLocalLock<T>(home: string, name: string, work: () => P
         let stale = !owner && Date.now() - stat.mtimeMs >= 30_000;
         if (owner) stale = localProcessIsGone(owner, instance);
         if (stale) {
-          if (stat.isFile()) {
-            // Legacy file locks predate atomic directory publication.
-            // unlink cannot remove a fresh directory lock if another
-            // contender has already recovered and acquired this path.
-            try { fs.unlinkSync(lock); continue; }
-            catch (reclaim) {
-              if (reclaim?.code === "ENOENT") continue;
-              if (fs.lstatSync(lock, { throwIfNoEntry: false })?.isDirectory()) continue;
-              throw reclaim;
-            }
-          }
           const fingerprint = createHash("sha256").update(`${stat.dev}:${stat.ino}:${stat.birthtimeMs}`).digest("hex").slice(0, 24);
           const tombstone = `${lock}.stale-${fingerprint}`;
           try {