diff --git a/letsencrypt/hooks/dc-pre-run b/letsencrypt/hooks/dc-pre-run
index 77217548..2fa5e710 100755
--- a/letsencrypt/hooks/dc-pre-run
+++ b/letsencrypt/hooks/dc-pre-run
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ if ! challenge_type=$(printf "%s" "$service_def" | shyaml get-value "options.cha
 fi
 config+=$(echo -en "\n    CHALLENGE_TYPE: $challenge_type")
 
-if will_need_http_access ;then
+if will_need_http_access; then
     while read container_id; do
         info "Attempting to clear port 80 by stopping $container_id"
         docker stop -t 5 "$container_id"
diff --git a/letsencrypt/lib/common b/letsencrypt/lib/common
index 2a01777f..76bed4f7 100644
--- a/letsencrypt/lib/common
+++ b/letsencrypt/lib/common
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ yaml_opt_bash_env_ignore_first_level() {
 
 
 will_need_http_access() {
-    local domains args_domains
+    local domains args_domains remaining
     [ "$challenge_type" == "http" ] || return 1
     [ "${remainder_args[0]}" == "crt" ] || return 1
     [ "${remainder_args[1]}" == "create" ] || return 1
@@ -40,5 +40,9 @@ will_need_http_access() {
     args_domains=$(printf "%s " ${remainder_args[*]:2} | tr " " "\n" | sort)
     info domains: "$domains"
     info args_domain: "$args_domains"
-    [ "$domains" != "$args_domains" ]
+    remaining=$(printf "%s" "$out" | shyaml get-value remaining) || return 0
+    ## XXXvlab: not using the variables to decide number of max days remaining
+    ## for asking new certificate
+    [ "$domains" != "$args_domains" ] || [ "$remaining" -lt 30 ]
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file