diff --git a/core/update.php b/core/update.php
index 494d9bc..df94788 100644
--- a/core/update.php
+++ b/core/update.php
@@ -308,17 +308,12 @@ function update_task_list($active = NULL) {
 // Updating from a site schema version prior to 8000 should block the update
 // process. Ensure that the site is not attempting to update a database
 // created in a previous version of Drupal.
-try {
+if (db_table_exists('system')) {
   $system_schema = db_query('SELECT schema_version FROM {system} WHERE name = :system', array(':system' => 'system'))->fetchField();
-}
-catch (\Exception $e) {
-  // The schema_version does not exist in the system table, so continue
-  // for the moment assuming that this is a Drupal 8 database schema. Another
-  // check will be made later to verify this is the case.
-}
-if (isset($system_schema) && $system_schema < \Drupal::CORE_MINIMUM_SCHEMA_VERSION) {
-  print 'Your system schema version is ' . $system_schema . '. Updating directly from a schema version prior to 8000 is not supported. You must <a href="https://drupal.org/node/2179269">migrate your site to Drupal 8</a> first.';
-  exit;
+  if (isset($system_schema) && $system_schema < \Drupal::CORE_MINIMUM_SCHEMA_VERSION) {
+    print 'Your system schema version is ' . $system_schema . '. Updating directly from a schema version prior to 8000 is not supported. You must <a href="https://drupal.org/node/2179269">migrate your site to Drupal 8</a> first.';
+    exit;
+  }
 }
 
 // Enable UpdateServiceProvider service overrides.