diff --git a/swupd/create_manifests.go b/swupd/create_manifests.go
index b8e7d6d80..32aeec023 100644
--- a/swupd/create_manifests.go
+++ b/swupd/create_manifests.go
@@ -276,6 +276,12 @@ func CreateManifests(version uint32, minVersion uint32, format uint, statedir st
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// TODO: remove this after a format bump in Clear Linux
+		// this is a hack to set maximum contentsize to the incorrect maximum
+		// set in swupd-client v3.15.3
+		bMan.setMaxContentSizeHack()
+		// end hack
+
 		// sort by version then by filename, previously to this sort these bundles
 		// were sorted by file name only to make processing easier
 		bMan.sortFilesVersionName()
diff --git a/swupd/manifest.go b/swupd/manifest.go
index a2edd0dfa..04b400fea 100644
--- a/swupd/manifest.go
+++ b/swupd/manifest.go
@@ -984,3 +984,16 @@ func writeIndexManifest(c *config, ui *UpdateInfo, bundles []*Manifest) (*Manife
 
 	return idxMan, nil
 }
+
+// this is a hack to allow users to update using swupd-client v3.15.3 which performs a
+// check on contentsize with a maximum a couple of orders off the intended maximum.
+// Remove this code (and the caller) when a format bump has occurred in Clear.
+var badMax uint64 = 2000000000
+
+func (m *Manifest) setMaxContentSizeHack() {
+	if m.Header.ContentSize >= badMax {
+		m.Header.ContentSize = badMax - 1
+	}
+}
+
+// end hack