diff --git a/devel/author-scan.sh b/devel/author-scan.sh
index 2d9c4af8..23854f39 100644
--- a/devel/author-scan.sh
+++ b/devel/author-scan.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ AUTHOR_EXCLUDE='uncrustify'
 # based on the FSF guideline, for want of a better idea.
 THRESHOLD=15
 
-git ls-files | grep -v -e "$FILE_EXCLUDE" | xargs -n 1 -d \\n \
+git ls-files | grep -v -e "$FILE_EXCLUDE" | tr '\n' '\0' | xargs -0 -n 1 \
                                                   git blame -w --line-porcelain -- | \
     sed -n "/$AUTHOR_EXCLUDE/d; s/^[aA][uU][tT][hH][Oo][rR] //p" | \
     sort -fd | uniq -ic | awk "\$1 >= $THRESHOLD" | sort -nr