diff --git a/express/lib/rhc/targz.rb b/express/lib/rhc/targz.rb
index b8b124374..ff9b4eb2c 100644
--- a/express/lib/rhc/targz.rb
+++ b/express/lib/rhc/targz.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
 require 'archive/tar/minitar'
 include Archive::Tar
 
-TAR_BIN = 'tar'
-TAR_BIN = '/usr/bin/gnutar' if File.executable?('/usr/bin/gnutar')
+if File.executable?('/usr/bin/gnutar') then
+  TAR_BIN = '/usr/bin/gnutar'
+else
+  TAR_BIN = 'tar'
+end
 
 module RHC