diff --git a/tools/packaging/verify-deb-install.sh b/tools/packaging/verify-deb-install.sh
index 069f109f013..374f4f131bc 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/verify-deb-install.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/verify-deb-install.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -euxo pipefail
 
 # Install tempo and check it's running
 dpkg -i ./tempo_*_linux_amd64.deb
-[ "\$(systemctl is-active tempo)" = "active" ] || (echo "tempo is inactive" && exit 1)
+[ "$(systemctl is-active tempo)" = "active" ] || (echo "tempo is inactive" && exit 1)
 
 # Wait for tempo to be ready.
 apt update && apt install -y curl
diff --git a/tools/packaging/verify-rpm-install.sh b/tools/packaging/verify-rpm-install.sh
index 833e8556231..bb40eacd170 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/verify-rpm-install.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/verify-rpm-install.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ rpm --import https://packages.grafana.com/gpg.key
 
 # Install tempo and check it's running
 rpm -i ./tempo_*_linux_amd64.rpm
-[ "\$(systemctl is-active tempo)" = "active" ] || (echo "tempo is inactive" && exit 1)
+[ "$(systemctl is-active tempo)" = "active" ] || (echo "tempo is inactive" && exit 1)
 
 # Wait for tempo to be ready.
 ./wait-for-ready.sh