     ver.min_project_version ?= 0
     ver.webapp_version      ?= 0
     # the browser can only update to the latest available code
-    if ver.webapp_version < ver.min_browser_version
+    if ver.webapp_version > 0 and ver.webapp_version < ver.min_browser_version
         ver.min_browser_version = ver.webapp_version
     # The min version shouldn't be bigger than the actual version
     # (which is the newest the client can update to).

                @emit('change', smc_version)

# export a single version object
module.exports = new Version()
        ver                = require_reload('smc-util/smc-version')
        get_smc_webapp_version (err, webapp_version) ->
            ver.webapp_version = webapp_version
            console.log 'ver=', ver
            cb(err, sanity_check(ver))

    set_smc_version: (smc_version) =>
