diff --git a/uberspace-backup.sh b/uberspace-backup.sh
index 28e0186..2061636 100755
--- a/uberspace-backup.sh
+++ b/uberspace-backup.sh
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ while read line; do
     rm ${DEST}.tar
     
     # Delete all old directories except the $MAXBAK most recent
-    if [ $(ls -tp "${BACKUPDIR}"/"${RHOST}"/ | grep '/$' | wc -l) -gt $MAXBAK ]; then
+    if [ $(ls -tp "${BACKUPDIR}"/"${RHOST}"/ | grep '/$' | wc -l | tr -d ' ') -gt $MAXBAK ]; then
       logecho "${RHOST}: Removing older backups of $(basename ${DEST})"
-      ls -tpd "${BACKUPDIR}"/"${RHOST}"/* | grep '/$' | tail -n +$[$MAXBAK + 1] | xargs -d '\n' rm -r --
+      ls -tpd "${BACKUPDIR}"/"${RHOST}"/* | grep '/$' | tail -n +$[$MAXBAK + 1] | xargs -0 | xargs rm -r --
     fi
   done