diff --git a/automated install/basic-install.sh b/automated install/basic-install.sh
index 6956484d..a5c2d2f6 100755
--- a/automated install/basic-install.sh	
+++ b/automated install/basic-install.sh	
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@ package_manager_detect() {
         local phpVer="php"
         if is_command php ; then
             printf "  %b Existing PHP installation detected : PHP version %s\\n" "${INFO}" "$(php <<< "<?php echo PHP_VERSION ?>")"
-            printf -v phpInsMajor "$(php <<< "<?php echo PHP_MAJOR_VERSION ?>")"
-            printf -v phpInsMinor "$(php <<< "<?php echo PHP_MINOR_VERSION ?>")"
+            printf -v phpInsMajor "%s" "$(php <<< "<?php echo PHP_MAJOR_VERSION ?>")"
+            printf -v phpInsMinor "%s" "$(php <<< "<?php echo PHP_MINOR_VERSION ?>")"
             if [[ "$phpInsMajor" =~ [^[:digit:]] || "$phpInsMinor" =~ [^[:digit:]]  ]]; then
                  printf "  %b No valid PHP version detected\\n" "${CROSS}"
                 # so exit the installer