diff --git a/gitstatus.sh b/gitstatus.sh
index b228b5a..a83e91b 100755
--- a/gitstatus.sh
+++ b/gitstatus.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ fi
 
 remote=
 
-branch_line=`echo "$gitstatus" | grep "^##"`
+branch_line=$( echo "$gitstatus" | grep "^##" )
 IFS="." read -ra line <<< "${branch_line/\#\# }"
 branch="${line[0]}"