diff --git a/plugins/other/pacman_pending_updates b/plugins/other/pacman_pending_updates
index 00c2ecdb..ce5e7f27 100755
--- a/plugins/other/pacman_pending_updates
+++ b/plugins/other/pacman_pending_updates
@@ -50,16 +50,22 @@ EOM
 		;;
 
 	autoconf)
-		hash checkupdates &> /dev/null && echo yes || echo "no (checkupdates not found)"
+		if hash checkupdates >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+			echo yes
+		else
+			echo "no (checkupdates not found)"
+		fi
 		;;
 
 	*)
-		updates="$(checkupdates)" || echo "updates.value U" && exit
-		if [ -n "$updates" ]; then
-			echo "updates.value $(echo "$updates" | wc -l)"
-			echo "updates.extinfo $(echo "$updates" | paste -s -d,)"
-		else
-			echo updates.value 0
+		if updates="$(checkupdates)"; then
+			if [ -n "$updates" ]; then
+				echo "updates.value $(echo "$updates" | wc -l)"
+				echo "updates.extinfo $(echo "$updates" | paste -s -d,)"
+			else
+				echo updates.value 0
+			fi
+			echo "updates.value U" && exit
 		fi
 		;;
 esac