diff --git a/src/node/main/node_data_version.ml b/src/node/main/node_data_version.ml
index f0fa265cb..b3db44e12 100644
--- a/src/node/main/node_data_version.ml
+++ b/src/node/main/node_data_version.ml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ type t = string
 
 let data_version = "0.0.1"
 
+let default_identity_file_name = "identity.json"
+
 let version_encoding = Data_encoding.(obj1 (req "version" string))
 
 let version_file_name = "version.json"
@@ -83,12 +85,15 @@ let check_data_dir_version data_dir =
   return ()
 
 let ensure_data_dir data_dir =
-  if Sys.file_exists data_dir &&
-     (Array.length (Sys.readdir data_dir)) > 0
-  then
-    check_data_dir_version data_dir
-  else
-    Lwt_utils.create_dir ~perm:0o700 data_dir >>= fun () ->
+  let write_version () =
     Data_encoding_ezjsonm.write_file
       (version_file data_dir)
-      (Data_encoding.Json.construct version_encoding data_version)
+      (Data_encoding.Json.construct version_encoding data_version) in
+  if Sys.file_exists data_dir then
+    match Sys.readdir data_dir with
+    | [||] -> write_version ()
+    | [| single |] when single = default_identity_file_name -> write_version ()
+    | _ -> check_data_dir_version data_dir
+  else
+    Lwt_utils.create_dir ~perm:0o700 data_dir >>= fun () ->
+    write_version ()
diff --git a/src/node/main/node_data_version.mli b/src/node/main/node_data_version.mli
index db3a796da..d090571a0 100644
--- a/src/node/main/node_data_version.mli
+++ b/src/node/main/node_data_version.mli
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ type error += Invalid_data_dir_version of t * t
 type error += Could_not_read_data_dir_version of string
 
 val data_version : t
+val default_identity_file_name : string
 
 val pp : Format.formatter -> t -> unit
 
diff --git a/src/node/main/node_identity_command.ml b/src/node/main/node_identity_command.ml
index d3635ceb1..b5f0ffbe9 100644
--- a/src/node/main/node_identity_command.ml
+++ b/src/node/main/node_identity_command.ml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ let (//) = Filename.concat
 
 (** Commands *)
 
-let identity_file data_dir = data_dir // Node_identity_file.default_name
+let identity_file data_dir = data_dir // Node_data_version.default_identity_file_name
 
 let show { Node_config_file.data_dir } =
   Node_identity_file.read (identity_file data_dir) >>=? fun id ->
diff --git a/src/node/main/node_identity_file.ml b/src/node/main/node_identity_file.ml
index 50e9661a3..1294bd460 100644
--- a/src/node/main/node_identity_file.ml
+++ b/src/node/main/node_identity_file.ml
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 (*                                                                        *)
 (**************************************************************************)
 
-let default_name = "identity.json"
-
 type error += No_identity_file of string
 type error += Insufficient_proof_of_work of { expected: float }
 
diff --git a/src/node/main/node_identity_file.mli b/src/node/main/node_identity_file.mli
index 167333da5..7b770af08 100644
--- a/src/node/main/node_identity_file.mli
+++ b/src/node/main/node_identity_file.mli
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 (*                                                                        *)
 (**************************************************************************)
 
-val default_name: string
-
 type error += No_identity_file of string
 type error += Insufficient_proof_of_work of { expected: float }
 
diff --git a/src/node/main/node_run_command.ml b/src/node/main/node_run_command.ml
index e688e78f7..bae311d07 100644
--- a/src/node/main/node_run_command.ml
+++ b/src/node/main/node_run_command.ml
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ let init_node ?sandbox (config : Node_config_file.t) =
            config.net.bootstrap_peers) >>= fun trusted_points ->
         Node_identity_file.read
           (config.data_dir //
-           Node_identity_file.default_name) >>=? fun identity ->
+           Node_data_version.default_identity_file_name) >>=? fun identity ->
         lwt_log_notice
           "Peer's global id: %a"
           P2p.Peer_id.pp identity.peer_id >>= fun () ->