diff --git a/src/nginx.js b/src/nginx.js
index a10426245..a5df498af 100644
--- a/src/nginx.js
+++ b/src/nginx.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ exports = module.exports = {
     configureAdmin: configureAdmin,
     configureApp: configureApp,
     unconfigureApp: unconfigureApp,
-    reload: reload
+    reload: reload,
+    removeAppConfigs: removeAppConfigs
 };
 
 var NGINX_APPCONFIG_EJS = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/../setup/start/nginx/appconfig.ejs', { encoding: 'utf8' }),
@@ -95,3 +96,9 @@ function unconfigureApp(app, callback) {
 function reload(callback) {
     shell.sudo('reload', [ RELOAD_NGINX_CMD ], callback);
 }
+
+function removeAppConfigs() {
+    for (var appConfigFile of fs.readdirSync(paths.NGINX_APPCONFIG_DIR)) {
+        fs.unlinkSync(path.join(paths.NGINX_APPCONFIG_DIR, appConfigFile));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/platform.js b/src/platform.js
index e00144225..3f637fff8 100644
--- a/src/platform.js
+++ b/src/platform.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ var apps = require('./apps.js'),
     fs = require('fs'),
     hat = require('hat'),
     infra = require('./infra_version.js'),
+    nginx = require('./nginx.js'),
     os = require('os'),
     paths = require('./paths.js'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
@@ -323,6 +324,7 @@ function startApps(existingInfra, callback) {
         apps.restoreInstalledApps(callback);
     } else {
         debug('startApps: reconfiguring installed apps');
+        nginx.removeAppConfigs(); // should we change the cert location, nginx will not start
         apps.configureInstalledApps(callback);
     }
 }