diff --git a/tests/test_backup.py b/tests/test_backup.py
index 383148f6c11f19536fb73a4052d640bea1065f15..e9f7cee556ba4cd450ca0e7ac6388a9cfced97cd 100755
--- a/tests/test_backup.py
+++ b/tests/test_backup.py
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ def test_ssh(server):
 def test_last_backup_is_recent(server, client):
     path = '/backup/%s/current' % client
     cmd = 'ssh %s ls -l %s | grep current' % (server, path)
-    status, out = subprocess.getstatusoutput(cmd).strip()
+    status, out = subprocess.getstatusoutput(cmd)
     if status == 0:
-        date = out.split(' ')[-1]
+        date = out.strip().split(' ')[-1]
         print(date)
     else:
         return False