diff --git a/lib/versions/version-info.js b/lib/versions/version-info.js
index 3c1c61944d3e..f81ad006b93b 100644
--- a/lib/versions/version-info.js
+++ b/lib/versions/version-info.js
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ var getGitRepoInfo = function() {
  * @return {String}         The codename if found, otherwise null/undefined
  */
 var getCodeName = function(tagName) {
-  var tagMessage = shell.exec('git cat-file -p '+ tagName +' | grep "codename"', {silent:true}).output;
+  var gitCatOutput = shell.exec('git cat-file -p '+ tagName, {silent:true}).output;
+  var tagMessage = gitCatOutput.match(/^.*codename.*$/mg)[0];
   var codeName = tagMessage && tagMessage.match(/codename\((.*)\)/)[1];
   if (!codeName) {
     throw new Error("Could not extract release code name. The message of tag "+tagName+
@@ -105,10 +106,10 @@ var getPreviousVersions =  function() {
   // not contain all commits when cloned with git clone --depth=...
   // Needed e.g. for Travis
   var repo_url = currentPackage.repository.url;
-  var tagResults = shell.exec('git ls-remote --tags ' + repo_url + ' | grep -o -e "v[0-9].*[0-9]$"',
+  var tagResults = shell.exec('git ls-remote --tags ' + repo_url,
                               {silent: true});
   if ( tagResults.code === 0 ) {
-    return _(tagResults.output.trim().split('\n'))
+    return _(tagResults.output.match(/v[0-9].*[0-9]$/mg))
       .map(function(tag) {
         var version = semver.parse(tag);
         return version;