diff --git a/internal/lock/statehash.go b/internal/lock/statehash.go
index b0cd4eecf6e..ed3ee8a1e7a 100644
--- a/internal/lock/statehash.go
+++ b/internal/lock/statehash.go
@@ -47,28 +47,28 @@ func UpdateAndSaveStateHashFile(args UpdateStateHashFileArgs) error {
 }
 
 func isStateUpToDate(args UpdateStateHashFileArgs) (bool, error) {
-	filesystemLock, err := readStateHashFile(args.ProjectDir)
+	filesystemStateHash, err := readStateHashFile(args.ProjectDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
-	newLock, err := getCurrentStateHash(args)
+	newStateHash, err := getCurrentStateHash(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
 
-	return *filesystemLock == *newLock, nil
+	return *filesystemStateHash == *newStateHash, nil
 }
 
 func readStateHashFile(projectDir string) (*stateHashFile, error) {
-	lockFile := &stateHashFile{}
-	err := cuecfg.ParseFile(stateHashFilePath(projectDir), lockFile)
+	hashFile := &stateHashFile{}
+	err := cuecfg.ParseFile(stateHashFilePath(projectDir), hashFile)
 	if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
-		return lockFile, nil
+		return hashFile, nil
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return lockFile, nil
+	return hashFile, nil
 }
 
 func getCurrentStateHash(args UpdateStateHashFileArgs) (*stateHashFile, error) {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func getCurrentStateHash(args UpdateStateHashFileArgs) (*stateHashFile, error) {
 }
 
 func stateHashFilePath(projectDir string) string {
-	return filepath.Join(projectDir, ".devbox", "local.lock")
+	return filepath.Join(projectDir, ".devbox", "state.json")
 }
 
 func manifestHash(profileDir string) (string, error) {
diff --git a/internal/shellgen/scripts.go b/internal/shellgen/scripts.go
index 3853d8b7be5..8cb2e98f634 100644
--- a/internal/shellgen/scripts.go
+++ b/internal/shellgen/scripts.go
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ func writeInitHookFile(devbox devboxer, body, tmpl, filename string) (err error)
 	}
 	defer script.Close() // best effort: close file
 
+	// skip adding init-hook recursion guard for the
+	// default hook or any empty hook
+	// there's nothing to guard, and it introduces complexity
 	if body == devconfig.DefaultInitHook || strings.TrimSpace(body) == "" {
 		_, err = script.WriteString(body)
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
diff --git a/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook-fish.tmpl b/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook-fish.tmpl
index ca223541218..18b0ab994a1 100644
--- a/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook-fish.tmpl
+++ b/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook-fish.tmpl
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-{{/* Fish version */ -}}
-{{/* if hash is set, we're in recursive loop, just exit */ -}}
+{{/* 
+    Fish version 
+    Note: This template is not used if init hook is empty or default
+
+    If hash is set, we're in recursive loop, just exit
+*/ -}}
 
 if set -q {{ .InitHookHash }}; then
     exit 0
diff --git a/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook.tmpl b/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook.tmpl
index 57e677c3438..052a0202c21 100644
--- a/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook.tmpl
+++ b/internal/shellgen/tmpl/init-hook.tmpl
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+{{/* 
+    Note: This template is not used if init hook is empty or default
 
-{{/* if hash is set, we're in recursive loop, just exit */ -}}
+    If hash is set, we're in recursive loop, just exit
+*/ -}}
 
 if [ -n "${{ .InitHookHash }}" ]; then
     return