I noticed that no matter where I set ZDOTDIR env variable, zsh-newuser-install will always look for $HOME/.z* files and shows the new user message and prompt. But I can press 'q' and it will then source $ZDOTDIR files and everything works from there. but every new shell (via ssh) or terminal i open the new user prompt shows up.
I have set ZDOTDIR env variable in the following files and in zsh-newuser-install the variable is not set.
ones i had to create
/etc/zprofile
/etc/zshenv
/etc/zshrc
this one was already present
/etc/zsh/zprofile