diff --git a/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py b/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py
index 7955297e4..165df53e3 100644
--- a/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py
+++ b/qubes/vm/qubesvm.py
@@ -1439,6 +1439,8 @@ def create_on_disk(self, pool=None, pools=None):
                                    'creation'.format(self.dir_path))
             raise
 
+        if os.path.exists(self.icon_path):
+            os.unlink(self.icon_path)
         self.log.info('Creating icon symlink: {} -> {}'.format(
             self.icon_path, self.label.icon_path))
         if hasattr(os, "symlink"):