diff --git a/debian/alternc.postinst b/debian/alternc.postinst
index 75f6fb75..f449220a 100644
--- a/debian/alternc.postinst
+++ b/debian/alternc.postinst
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ EOF
 
     # Add access to the management panel    
     ln -nsf /var/alternc/bureau /var/alternc/dns/$FQDN_LETTER/$FQDN
-    mkdir -p /var/alternc/dns/$(echo $PUBLIC_IP|cut -d '.' -f 1)
-    ln -nsf /var/alternc/bureau /var/alternc/dns/$(echo $PUBLIC_IP|cut -d '.' -f 1)/$PUBLIC_IP
+    mkdir -p /var/alternc/dns/${PUBLIC_IP:0:1}
+    ln -nsf /var/alternc/bureau /var/alternc/dns/${PUBLIC_IP:0:1}/$PUBLIC_IP
 
     # Bind stuff
     touch /var/alternc/bind/automatic.conf /var/alternc/bind/slaveip.conf
diff --git a/install/alternc.install b/install/alternc.install
index c4733426..0dc1e3b5 100644
--- a/install/alternc.install
+++ b/install/alternc.install
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ if [ -z "$MONITOR_IP" ]; then
     MONITOR_IP="127.0.0.1"
 fi
 
-PUBLIC_IP_BEGIN=$(echo $PUBLIC_IP|cut -d '.' -f 1)
+PUBLIC_IP_BEGIN=${PUBLIC_IP:0:1}
 
 # XXX: I assume this is secure if /tmp is sticky (+t)
 # we should have a better way to deal with templating, of course.