diff --git a/debian/build-git-snapshot b/debian/build-git-snapshot
index f34b6675a0..cd0545a68d 100755
--- a/debian/build-git-snapshot
+++ b/debian/build-git-snapshot
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ sub sys_command_output {
 
     print "$command\n" if $debug;
     my $command_output;
-    open($command_output, "$command"," |")
+    open($command_output, "-|", "$command ")
       or die qq{Cannot execute "$command": $!"};
     return map { chomp; $_ } <$command_output>;
 }