diff --git a/.config/zsh/prompt.zsh b/.config/zsh/prompt.zsh
index db4b3f4..37cf266 100644
--- a/.config/zsh/prompt.zsh
+++ b/.config/zsh/prompt.zsh
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ precmd_pyenv_info() {
 	fi
 }
 
-_kernel_pkg=$(pacman -Qqo /usr/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/vmlinuz 2>/dev/null)
-
 precmd_kernel_info() {
 	# check to see if a kernel update has been installed
 	# since we need to reboot to use it
@@ -33,26 +31,13 @@ precmd_kernel_info() {
 	if [[ -n ${kernel_info_msg_0_} ]]; then
 		return
 	fi
-	if [[ -z ${_kernel_pkg} ]]; then
-		# no kernel package found, so we can't check for updates
-		return
-	fi
-	case ${_kernel_pkg} in
-	"linux")
-		# mainline kernel
-		diff <(uname -r | sed 's/-/./;s/\.0\././') <(pacman -Q linux | cut -d' ' -f2) >/dev/null
-		_ret=$?
-		;;
-	"linux-lts")
-		# lts kernel
-		diff <(uname -r | sed 's/-lts//') <(pacman -Q linux-lts | cut -d' ' -f2) >/dev/null
-		_ret=$?
-		;;
-	esac
-	diff <(uname -r | sed 's/-/./;s/\.0\././') <(pacman -Q linux | cut -d' ' -f2) >/dev/null
-	if [[ $? -eq 1 ]]; then
-		# kernel update available
-		kernel_info_msg_0_="%F{red} reboot required %f"
+	if [[ ${OS_ID} == "arch" ]] || [[ ${OS_ID_LIKE} == "arch" ]]; then
+		# Arch Linux removes the old kernel when updating, so we can
+		# just check to see if /usr/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/vmlinuz exists
+		if [[ -f /usr/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/vmlinuz ]]; then
+			# kernel update available
+			kernel_info_msg_0_="%F{red} reboot required %f"
+		fi
 	fi
 }