diff --git a/handlers/rsync.in b/handlers/rsync.in
index f1406427f9f96f3de716831348267e914b5065da..e46f866331c3b81327f816a64420de6de973df05 100644
--- a/handlers/rsync.in
+++ b/handlers/rsync.in
@@ -365,9 +365,9 @@ function rotate_short_remote {
   fi
 
   # Cleanup orphaned metadata
-  for file in `ls $metadata`; do
+  for file in \`ls $metadata\`; do
     if [ ! -d "`dirname $folder`/\$file" ]; then
-      debug "removing orphaned metadata \$file"
+      echo "Debug: removing orphaned metadata \$file"
       rm -rf $metadata/\$file
     fi
   done
@@ -601,9 +601,9 @@ function rotate_long_remote {
   done
 
   # Cleanup orphaned metadata
-  for file in `ls $backuproot/metadata`; do
+  for file in \`ls $backuproot/metadata\`; do
     if [ ! -d "$backuproot/\$file" ]; then
-      debug "removing orphaned metadata \$file"
+      echo "Debug: removing orphaned metadata \$file"
       rm -rf $backuproot/metadata/\$file
     fi
   done