diff --git a/lib/jeannie/cluster.sh b/lib/jeannie/cluster.sh
index f067bdd..b2d01c3 100644
--- a/lib/jeannie/cluster.sh
+++ b/lib/jeannie/cluster.sh
@@ -312,21 +312,13 @@ cleanup() {
 trap cleanup 0
 
 sudo \"\$qm_bin\" showcmd \"\$vmid\" --pretty >\"\$start_script\"
-if ! awk -v vmid=\"\$vmid\" '
-  {
-    for (i = 1; i <= NF; i++) {
-      qemu_suffix = \"qemu-system-aarch64\"
-      if ($i == "/usr/bin/kvm" || $i == "qemu-system-aarch64" || substr($i, length($i) - length(qemu_suffix) + 1) == qemu_suffix) kvm = 1
-      if ($i == "-id" && (i + 1) <= NF && $(i + 1) == vmid) id = 1
-    }
-  }
-  END { exit (kvm && id) ? 0 : 1 }
-' \"\$start_script\"; then
+if ! { grep -Fq -- '/usr/bin/kvm' \"\$start_script\" || grep -Fq -- 'qemu-system-aarch64' \"\$start_script\"; } ||
+  ! grep -Fq -- \"-id \$vmid\" \"\$start_script\"; then
   echo \"qm showcmd for VM \$vmid did not produce the expected KVM command\" >&2
   sed 's/^/    showcmd: /' \"\$start_script\" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
-smp_count=\$(awk '{ for (i = 1; i <= NF; i++) if ($i == "-smp") count++ } END { print count + 0 }' \"\$start_script\")
+smp_count=\$(grep -c '^[[:space:]]*-smp[[:space:]]' \"\$start_script\" || true)
 if [ \"\$smp_count\" -ne 1 ]; then
   echo \"Expected one native -smp argument for VM \$vmid, found \$smp_count. Remove stale qm args before starting.\" >&2
   exit 1
diff --git a/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh b/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh
index 23c073f..8d0250c 100644
--- a/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh
+++ b/lib/jeannie/pipeline.sh
@@ -1552,21 +1552,13 @@ cleanup() {
 trap cleanup 0
 
 sudo \"\$qm_bin\" showcmd \"\$vmid\" --pretty >\"\$start_script\"
-if ! awk -v vmid=\"\$vmid\" '
-  {
-    for (i = 1; i <= NF; i++) {
-      qemu_suffix = \"qemu-system-aarch64\"
-      if (\$i == "/usr/bin/kvm" || \$i == "qemu-system-aarch64" || substr(\$i, length(\$i) - length(qemu_suffix) + 1) == qemu_suffix) kvm = 1
-      if (\$i == "-id" && (i + 1) <= NF && \$(i + 1) == vmid) id = 1
-    }
-  }
-  END { exit (kvm && id) ? 0 : 1 }
-' \"\$start_script\"; then
+if ! { grep -Fq -- '/usr/bin/kvm' \"\$start_script\" || grep -Fq -- 'qemu-system-aarch64' \"\$start_script\"; } ||
+  ! grep -Fq -- \"-id \$vmid\" \"\$start_script\"; then
   echo \"qm showcmd for VM \$vmid did not produce the expected KVM command\" >&2
   sed 's/^/    showcmd: /' \"\$start_script\" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
-smp_count=\$(awk '{ for (i = 1; i <= NF; i++) if (\$i == "-smp") count++ } END { print count + 0 }' \"\$start_script\")
+smp_count=\$(grep -c '^[[:space:]]*-smp[[:space:]]' \"\$start_script\" || true)
 if [ \"\$smp_count\" -ne 1 ]; then
   echo \"Expected one native -smp argument for VM \$vmid, found \$smp_count. Remove stale qm args before starting.\" >&2
   exit 1