diff --git a/live-build/hooks/14-set-motd.chroot b/live-build/hooks/14-set-motd.chroot
index f8b0cc3..4c9fbbd 100644
--- a/live-build/hooks/14-set-motd.chroot
+++ b/live-build/hooks/14-set-motd.chroot
@@ -20,3 +20,23 @@ EOF
 # in particular the 'help' message but leave the 'Welcome'
 # string which is autogenerated based on uname -a and such.
 rm /etc/update-motd.d/10-help-text
+
+# fail if anything in update-motd.d changed so that we can inspect/update
+needle="00-header 50-motd-news"
+if [ "$(find /etc/update-motd.d/ | sort |cut -f4 -d/ | xargs echo)" = "$needle" ]; then
+    echo "The /etc/update-motd.d/ directory content changed, please inspect:"
+    ls -l /etc/update-motd.d
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Ensure there is no motd-news. If that file is there the
+# /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news script will try to fetch news from
+# motd.ubuntu.com but will fail and cause /etc/update-motd.d/00-header
+# not to run.
+#
+# See also: https://github.com/snapcore/core18/pull/168
+! test -e /etc/default/motd-news
+# the base-files split in LP:1888575 leaves a /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved
+# For details, see
+# https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/+bug/1888575/comments/21
+rm -f /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved