diff --git a/releng/manual_devices b/releng/manual_devices
index 4bbbbe4b..8be5aa53 100755
--- a/releng/manual_devices
+++ b/releng/manual_devices
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ get_speeds() {
 get_devices() {
   echo -e "\n${SELF}: Running: $RELENG_XORRISO -devices 2>/dev/null | grep \"\-dev\""
   DEVICES=`$RELENG_XORRISO -devices 2>/dev/null | grep "\-dev"`
-  NUM_DEV=`echo ${DEVICES} | wc -l`
+  NUM_DEV=`(cat <<+
+${DEVICES}
++
+) | wc -l`
 
   case "${NUM_DEV}" in
        0)