diff --git a/rpkg.macros b/rpkg.macros
index b064d67006..4ae7012c14 100644
--- a/rpkg.macros
+++ b/rpkg.macros
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 function git_commit_no {
-	commits=$(curl -s 'https://api.github.com/repos/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/compare/120ca87015...master' | grep "ahead_by" | sed -s 's/ //g' | sed -s 's/"ahead_by"://' | sed -s 's/,//')
+	commits=$(curl -s 'https://api.github.com/repos/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/compare/120ca87015...master' | grep "\"ahead_by\":" | sed -s 's/ //g' | sed -s 's/"ahead_by"://' | sed -s 's/,//')
 	echo -n $((commits + 1))
 }