diff --git a/azurelinuxagent/common/utils/textutil.py b/azurelinuxagent/common/utils/textutil.py
index f60df26..d1aee4b 100644
--- a/azurelinuxagent/common/utils/textutil.py
+++ b/azurelinuxagent/common/utils/textutil.py
@@ -251,8 +251,10 @@ def set_ini_config(config, name, val):
 
 
 def remove_bom(c):
-    if str_to_ord(c[0]) > 128 and str_to_ord(c[1]) > 128 and \
-                    str_to_ord(c[2]) > 128:
+    if len(c) > 2 \
+            and str_to_ord(c[0]) > 128 \
+            and str_to_ord(c[1]) > 128 \
+            and str_to_ord(c[2]) > 128:
         c = c[3:]
     return c
 
diff --git a/azurelinuxagent/common/version.py b/azurelinuxagent/common/version.py
index b57b8fd..6643bc2 100644
--- a/azurelinuxagent/common/version.py
+++ b/azurelinuxagent/common/version.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def get_distro():
 
 AGENT_NAME = "WALinuxAgent"
 AGENT_LONG_NAME = "Azure Linux Agent"
-AGENT_VERSION = '2.2.0'
+AGENT_VERSION = '2.2.1'
 AGENT_LONG_VERSION = "{0}-{1}".format(AGENT_NAME, AGENT_VERSION)
 AGENT_DESCRIPTION = """\
 The Azure Linux Agent supports the provisioning and running of Linux
diff --git a/azurelinuxagent/ga/exthandlers.py b/azurelinuxagent/ga/exthandlers.py
index dda122c..9d3e9d8 100644
--- a/azurelinuxagent/ga/exthandlers.py
+++ b/azurelinuxagent/ga/exthandlers.py
@@ -360,9 +360,10 @@ class ExtHandlerInstance(object):
 
         # Determine the desired and installed versions
         requested_version = FlexibleVersion(self.ext_handler.properties.version)
-        installed_version = FlexibleVersion(self.get_installed_version())
-        if installed_version is None:
-            installed_version = requested_version
+        installed_version_string = self.get_installed_version()
+        installed_version = requested_version \
+            if installed_version_string is None \
+            else FlexibleVersion(installed_version_string)
 
         # Divide packages
         # - Find the installed package (its version must exactly match)