diff --git a/file-copy-vm/qvm-copy-to-vm b/file-copy-vm/qvm-copy-to-vm
index 2091767..eee5e25 100644
--- a/file-copy-vm/qvm-copy-to-vm
+++ b/file-copy-vm/qvm-copy-to-vm
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e -o pipefail
 #
 # The Qubes OS Project, http://www.qubes-os.org
 #
@@ -28,4 +29,11 @@ fi
 VM="$1"
 shift
 
-exec /usr/bin/qvm-run --pass-io --localcmd "/usr/lib/qubes/qfile-dom0-agent $@" "$VM" "QUBESRPC qubes.Filecopy dom0"
+TMPDIR=`mktemp -d`
+trap 'rm -rf -- "$TMPDIR"' EXIT
+RESPONSE=$TMPDIR/response
+mkfifo -- "$RESPONSE"
+
+# can't use $@ with --localcmd, and $* would fail on whitespace
+/usr/lib/qubes/qfile-dom0-agent "$@" <"$RESPONSE" |
+qvm-run --pass-io "$VM" "QUBESRPC qubes.Filecopy dom0" >"$RESPONSE"
diff --git a/file-copy-vm/qvm-move-to-vm b/file-copy-vm/qvm-move-to-vm
index 49f4d66..475530f 100644
--- a/file-copy-vm/qvm-move-to-vm
+++ b/file-copy-vm/qvm-move-to-vm
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
 #
 # The Qubes OS Project, http://www.qubes-os.org
 #
@@ -20,14 +20,5 @@
 #
 #
 
-if [ $# -lt 2 ] ; then
-    echo usage: $0 'dest_vmname file [file]+'
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-VM="$1"
-shift
-
-set -e
-/usr/bin/qvm-run --pass-io --localcmd "/usr/lib/qubes/qfile-dom0-agent $@" "$VM" "QUBESRPC qubes.Filecopy dom0"
+. qvm-copy-to-vm "$@" &&
 rm -rf -- "$@"