diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/reinstall.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/reinstall.rb
index 7ba57fd13d..f177c6b5d3 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/reinstall.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/reinstall.rb
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ module Homebrew
 
     return unless path.directory?
 
+    keg.rmtree if keg.exist?
     path.rename keg
     keg.link unless formula.keg_only?
   end