diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index e4b8baf4..578f48ff 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ byobu (5.63) unreleased; urgency=low
     - Ubuntu themed grep colors, from Nick Moffit
   * usr/bin/byobu-select-profile:
     - point straight to the right section
+  * usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc:
+    - save a fork, use a function for exit status, from Nick Moffit
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 15:27:51 -0500
 
diff --git a/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc b/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc
index eb7f9078..87f6cbcd 100644
--- a/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc
+++ b/usr/share/byobu/profiles/bashrc
@@ -25,26 +25,26 @@ esac
 if [ -n "$TMUX" ] || [ "${TERMCAP#*screen}" != "${TERMCAP}" ]; then
 	# Ensure that we're in bash, in a byobu environment
 	if [ -n "$BYOBU_BACKEND" ] && [ "$SHELL" = "/bin/bash" ]; then
+		byobu_prompt_status() { local e=$?; [ $e != 0 ] && echo -e "$e "; }
 		case "$BYOBU_DISTRO" in
 			"Ubuntu")
 				# Use Ubuntu colors (grey / aubergine / orange)
 				[ -n "$BYOBU_CHARMAP" ] || BYOBU_CHARMAP=$(locale charmap 2>/dev/null || echo)
-				PROMPT_COMMAND='prompt_status="$? "; if [[ $prompt_status == "0 " ]]; then prompt_status=; fi'
 				case "$BYOBU_CHARMAP" in
 					"UTF-8")
 						# MATHEMATICAL RIGHT DOUBLE ANGLE BRACKET (U+27EB, Pe): ⟫
-						PS1="${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\e[38;5;202m\]\$prompt_status\[\e[38;5;245m\]\u\[\e[00m\]@\[\e[38;5;5m\]\h\[\e[00m\]:\[\e[38;5;172m\]\w\[\e[00m\]⟫ "
+						PS1="${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\e[38;5;202m\]\$(byobu_prompt_status)\[\e[38;5;245m\]\u\[\e[00m\]@\[\e[38;5;5m\]\h\[\e[00m\]:\[\e[38;5;172m\]\w\[\e[00m\]⟫ "
 					;;
 					*)
 						# Simple ASCII greater-than sign
-						PS1="${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\e[38;5;202m\]\$prompt_status\[\e[38;5;245m\]\u\[\e[00m\]@\[\e[38;5;5m\]\h\[\e[00m\]:\[\e[38;5;172m\]\w\[\e[00m\]> "
+						PS1="${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\e[38;5;202m\]\$(byobu_prompt_status)\[\e[38;5;245m\]\u\[\e[00m\]@\[\e[38;5;5m\]\h\[\e[00m\]:\[\e[38;5;172m\]\w\[\e[00m\]> "
 					;;
 				esac
 				export GREP_COLORS="ms=01;38;5;202:mc=01;31:sl=:cx=:fn=01;38;5;132:ln=32:bn=32:se=00;38;5;242"
 			;;
 			*)
 				# Use Byobu colors (green / blue / red)
-				PS1="${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\e[31m\]\$prompt_status\[\e[00;32m\]\u\[\e[00m\]@\[\e[00;36m\]\h\[\e[00m\]:\[\e[00;31m\]\w\[\e[00m\]\$ "
+				PS1="${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\e[31m\]\$(byobu_prompt_status)\[\e[00;32m\]\u\[\e[00m\]@\[\e[00;36m\]\h\[\e[00m\]:\[\e[00;31m\]\w\[\e[00m\]\$ "
 			;;
 		esac
 	fi