diff --git a/R/fit.R b/R/fit.R
index 50ff905a..3580c602 100644
--- a/R/fit.R
+++ b/R/fit.R
@@ -342,8 +342,7 @@ init_model_methods <- function(seed = 0, verbose = FALSE, hessian = FALSE, force
   require_suggested_package("Rcpp")
   require_suggested_package("RcppEigen")
   if (length(private$model_methods_env_$hpp_code_) == 0 &&
-        (is.null(private$model_methods_env_$obj_file_) ||
-          !file.exists(private$model_methods_env_$obj_file_))) {
+        !file.exists(private$model_methods_env_$obj_file_)) {
     stop("Model methods cannot be used with a pre-compiled Stan executable, ",
           "the model must be compiled again", call. = FALSE)
   }
diff --git a/R/model.R b/R/model.R
index 41fc7d19..e82e5b12 100644
--- a/R/model.R
+++ b/R/model.R
@@ -712,10 +712,7 @@ compile <- function(quiet = TRUE,
       file.remove(exe)
     }
     file.copy(tmp_exe, exe, overwrite = TRUE)
-    model_obj_file <- paste0(temp_file_no_ext, ".o")
-    if (file.exists(model_obj_file)) {
-      private$model_methods_env_$obj_file_ <- model_obj_file
-    }
+    private$model_methods_env_$obj_file_ <- paste0(temp_file_no_ext, ".o")
     if (os_is_wsl()) {
       res <- processx::run(
         command = "wsl",
diff --git a/R/utils.R b/R/utils.R
index 74c21fd6..061bdaa5 100644
--- a/R/utils.R
+++ b/R/utils.R
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ expose_model_methods <- function(env, force_recompile = FALSE, verbose = FALSE)
   file.copy(model_methods_cpp, source_file, overwrite = FALSE)
 
   model_obj_file <- env$obj_file_
-  if (is.null(model_obj_file) || !file.exists(model_obj_file)) {
+  if (!file.exists(model_obj_file)) {
     if (rlang::is_interactive()) {
       message("Model object file not found, recompiling model...")
     }