diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template
index 4a1dff4d0..088b148f9 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template
@@ -10,5 +10,12 @@ then
     addUser ${{daemon_user}} "${{daemon_user_uid}}" ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} user-daemon" "${{daemon_shell}}"
 fi
 
-[ -e /etc/sysconfig/${{app_name}} ] && sed -i 's/PACKAGE_PREFIX\=.*//g' /etc/sysconfig/${{app_name}}
-[ -n "$RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX" ] && echo "PACKAGE_PREFIX=${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}" >> /etc/sysconfig/${{app_name}}
+if [ -e /etc/sysconfig/${{app_name}} ] ;
+then
+  sed -i 's/PACKAGE_PREFIX\=.*//g' /etc/sysconfig/${{app_name}}
+fi
+
+if [ -n "$RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX" ] ;
+then
+  echo "PACKAGE_PREFIX=${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}" >> /etc/sysconfig/${{app_name}}
+fi
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/rpm/sysvinit-rpm/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/rpm/sysvinit-rpm/build.sbt
index 771cac1f3..4fbc3b168 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/rpm/sysvinit-rpm/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/rpm/sysvinit-rpm/build.sbt
@@ -46,8 +46,15 @@ TaskKey[Unit]("check-spec-file") <<= (target, streams) map { (target, out) =>
     assert(spec contains "deleteUser rpm-test", "deleteUser rpm not present in \n" + spec)
     assert(spec contains
       """
-        |[ -e /etc/sysconfig/rpm-test ] && sed -i 's/PACKAGE_PREFIX\=.*//g' /etc/sysconfig/rpm-test
-        |[ -n "$RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX" ] && echo "PACKAGE_PREFIX=${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}" >> /etc/sysconfig/rpm-test
+        |if [ -e /etc/sysconfig/rpm-test ] ;
+        |then
+        |  sed -i 's/PACKAGE_PREFIX\=.*//g' /etc/sysconfig/rpm-test
+        |fi
+        |
+        |if [ -n "$RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX" ] ;
+        |then
+        |  echo "PACKAGE_PREFIX=${RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX}" >> /etc/sysconfig/rpm-test
+        |fi
         |""".stripMargin, "Persisting $RPM_INSTALL_PREFIX not present in \n" + spec)
     ()
 }