diff --git a/packages/shared-state/files/usr/bin/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh b/packages/shared-state/files/usr/bin/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh
index 145c075e2..cda444db6 100755
--- a/packages/shared-state/files/usr/bin/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh
+++ b/packages/shared-state/files/usr/bin/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ get_uptime()
 
 cacheFile="/tmp/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh.cache"
 lastRunFile="/tmp/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh.lastrun"
-lastRun=$(cat "$lastRunFile" 2>/dev/null || echo -9999)
+lastRun=$(if [ -s /tmp/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh.lastrun ]; then echo $(cat /tmp/shared-state-get_candidates_neigh.lastrun); else  echo -9999; fi)
 currUptime="$(get_uptime)"
 
 [ "$(($currUptime - $lastRun))" -lt "90" ] &&