diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 2daf397a2dfc0c599f89a1bb8024e9e128ec4e96..036675e2b0cdc14e6e86c5d81135cf1868d13351 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ version 0.9.4 -- unreleased
 	 . When determining which backup actions to make, find now follows
 	   symlinks for $configdirectory
 	 . Changed order of -s to mail for compatibility
+	 . fixed permission stat call so it uses the --format supported by
+	   coreutils (Closes: #382747)
     handler changes
 	Added tar handler:
 	 . create tarballs
diff --git a/src/backupninja.in b/src/backupninja.in
index e4f5ea73dc53afd6084b5c6563240e0a14d6c0a1..114d66c2faef86fb13967ecaf9ea97c259cc80fe 100755
--- a/src/backupninja.in
+++ b/src/backupninja.in
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ function msg {
 function check_perms() {
    local file=$1
    local perms
-   perms=($(stat -L --printf='%a %g %G %u %U' $file))
+   perms=($(stat -L --format='%a %g %G %u %U' $file))
    local gperm=${perms[0]:1:1}
    local wperm=${perms[0]:2:1}
    local gid=${perms[1]}