diff --git a/scripts/lib/upgrade-zulip-stage-2 b/scripts/lib/upgrade-zulip-stage-2
index 24179a6250..a455262060 100755
--- a/scripts/lib/upgrade-zulip-stage-2
+++ b/scripts/lib/upgrade-zulip-stage-2
@@ -49,13 +49,10 @@ if not args.skip_puppet:
     subprocess.check_call(["apt-get", "-y", "upgrade"])
 
 if not os.path.exists((os.path.join(deploy_path, "zproject/prod_settings"))):
+    # For upgrading from <1.4.0.  See discussion in commit 586b23637.
     subprocess.check_call(["ln", "-nsf", "/etc/zulip/settings.py",
                            os.path.join(deploy_path, "zproject/prod_settings.py")])
 
-# delete local_settings.py symlink if it exists, as it is now prod_settings.py
-if os.path.islink((os.path.join(deploy_path, "zproject/local_settings.py"))):
-    subprocess.check_call(["rm", os.path.join(deploy_path, "zproject/local_settings.py")])
-
 # Now we should have an environment setup where we can run our tools;
 # first, creating the production venv.
 subprocess.check_call([os.path.join(deploy_path, "scripts", "lib", "create-production-venv"),