diff --git a/scripts/bootstrap-vps-debian12.sh b/scripts/bootstrap-vps-debian12.sh
index a4d1868..1634503 100644
--- a/scripts/bootstrap-vps-debian12.sh
+++ b/scripts/bootstrap-vps-debian12.sh
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ cat << EOF
 EOF
 
 if [ -f "$ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys" ]; then
-    BEFORESZ=$(wc -c "$ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys")
+    BEFORESZ=$(wc -c "$ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys" | awk '//{ print $1 }')
 else
     BEFORESZ=0
 fi
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ cat >> $ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys
 err=$?
 
 if [ -f "$ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys" ]; then
-    AFTERSZ=$(wc -c "$ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys")
+    AFTERSZ=$(wc -c "$ANSIUSERDIR/.ssh/authorized_keys" | awk '//{ print $1 }')
     if [ ! $AFTERSZ -gt $BEFORESZ ]; then
         cat << EOF