diff --git a/misc/create_lxc.sh b/misc/create_lxc.sh
index 02fad359..62fa9848 100644
--- a/misc/create_lxc.sh
+++ b/misc/create_lxc.sh
@@ -273,24 +273,28 @@ fi
 TEMPLATE="${TEMPLATES[-1]}"
 TEMPLATE_PATH="$(pvesm path $TEMPLATE_STORAGE:vztmpl/$TEMPLATE 2>/dev/null || echo "/var/lib/vz/template/cache/$TEMPLATE")"
 
-# Check if template exists and is valid
-if ! pveam list "$TEMPLATE_STORAGE" | grep -q "$TEMPLATE" || ! (zstdcat "$TEMPLATE_PATH" | tar -tf - >/dev/null 2>&1); then
-  msg_warn "Template $TEMPLATE not found or appears to be corrupted. Re-downloading."
+TEMPLATE_VALID=1
+if ! pveam list "$TEMPLATE_STORAGE" | grep -q "$TEMPLATE"; then
+  TEMPLATE_VALID=0
+elif [ ! -s "$TEMPLATE_PATH" ]; then
+  TEMPLATE_VALID=0
+elif ! tar --use-compress-program=zstdcat -tf "$TEMPLATE_PATH" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  TEMPLATE_VALID=0
+fi
 
+if [ "$TEMPLATE_VALID" -eq 0 ]; then
+  msg_warn "Template $TEMPLATE not found or appears to be corrupted. Re-downloading."
   [[ -f "$TEMPLATE_PATH" ]] && rm -f "$TEMPLATE_PATH"
   for attempt in {1..3}; do
     msg_info "Attempt $attempt: Downloading LXC template..."
-
     if timeout 120 pveam download "$TEMPLATE_STORAGE" "$TEMPLATE" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       msg_ok "Template download successful."
       break
     fi
-
     if [ $attempt -eq 3 ]; then
-      msg_error "Failed after 3 attempts. Please check your Proxmox host’s internet access or manually run:\n  pveam download $TEMPLATE_STORAGE $TEMPLATE"
+      msg_error "Failed after 3 attempts. Please check network access or manually run:\n  pveam download $TEMPLATE_STORAGE $TEMPLATE"
       exit 208
     fi
-
     sleep $((attempt * 5))
   done
 fi