diff --git a/src/steps-postinstall/20-collectd.sh b/src/steps-postinstall/20-collectd.sh
index 7bdefa1..97c32ac 100755
--- a/src/steps-postinstall/20-collectd.sh
+++ b/src/steps-postinstall/20-collectd.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ subtask_begin "Installing configuration file";
 touch "${collectd_conf_target}";
 chmod 0600 "${collectd_conf_target}";
 #shellcheck disable=SC2154
-awk -v "user=${collectd_username}" -v "pass=${collectd_password}" '{ gsub("|||USERNAME|||", user); gsub("|||PASSWORD|||", pass); print }' >"${collectd_conf_target}" <"configs/collectd.conf";
+awk -v "user=${collectd_username}" -v "pass=${collectd_password}" '{ gsub("\\|\\|\\|USERNAME\\|\\|\\|", user); gsub("\\|\\|\\|PASSWORD\\|\\|\\|", pass); print }' >"${collectd_conf_target}" <"configs/collectd.conf";
 subtask-end "$?";
 
 subtask_begin "Starting collectd & enabling on boot";