diff --git a/tools/meteor_npm.js b/tools/meteor_npm.js
index 42cf2df36f2..3284db4dc47 100644
--- a/tools/meteor_npm.js
+++ b/tools/meteor_npm.js
@@ -62,6 +62,19 @@ _.extend(exports, {
     var newPackageNpmDir = packageNpmDir + '-new-' + self._randomToken();
 
     try {
+      // v0.6.0 had a bug that could cause .npm directories to be
+      // created without npm-shrinkwrap.json
+      // (https://github.com/meteor/meteor/pull/927). Running your app
+      // in that state causes consistent "Corrupted .npm directory"
+      // errors.
+      //
+      // If you've reached that state, delete the empty directory and
+      // proceed.
+      if (fs.existsSync(packageNpmDir) &&
+          !fs.existsSync(path.join(packageNpmDir, 'npm-shrinkwrap.json'))) {
+        files.rm_recursive(packageNpmDir);
+      }
+
       if (fs.existsSync(packageNpmDir)) {
         // we already nave a .npm directory. update it appropriately with some ceremony involving:
         // `npm install`, `npm install name@version`, `npm shrinkwrap`