diff --git a/hack/make/build-deb b/hack/make/build-deb
index a347f0e851..36e11777c3 100644
--- a/hack/make/build-deb
+++ b/hack/make/build-deb
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ DEST=$1
 
 	# TODO consider using frozen images for the dockercore/builder-deb tags
 
-	debVersion="${VERSION//-/~}"
+	tilde='~' # ouch Bash 4.2 vs 4.3, you keel me
+	debVersion="${VERSION//-/$tilde}" # using \~ or '~' here works in 4.3, but not 4.2; just ~ causes $HOME to be inserted, hence the $tilde
 	# if we have a "-dev" suffix or have change in Git, let's make this package version more complex so it works better
 	if [[ "$VERSION" == *-dev ]] || [ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
 		gitUnix="$(git log -1 --pretty='%at')"