diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 429c853c..7a51479d 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ byobu (4.55) unreleased; urgency=low
     usr/lib/byobu/Makefile.am, usr/share/byobu/status/status,
     usr/share/man/man1/byobu.1:
     - add a system entropy status item
+    - must use cat, can't use read in dash here
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:38:02 -0600
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/entropy b/usr/lib/byobu/entropy
index d40cf494..fe0c3609 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/entropy
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/entropy
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ __entropy_detail() {
 }
 
 __entropy() {
-	local e
-	read e < /proc/sys/kernel/random/entropy_avail
-	color k r; printf "e$e"; color --
+	# Can't use 'read' here in dash, as it only reads the first byte
+	local e=$(cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/entropy_avail)
+	color K R; printf "e%s" "$e"; color --
 }
 
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