diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/systemloader/systemv/start-debian-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/systemloader/systemv/start-debian-template
index 04c5ee9d9..f2d197e84 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/systemloader/systemv/start-debian-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/systemloader/systemv/start-debian-template
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ start_daemon() {
   fi
 
   if [ "$create_pidfile" = true ]; then
-    start-stop-daemon --background --chdir ${{chdir}} --chuid "$DAEMON_USER" --make-pidfile --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --startas "$RUN_CMD" --start -- $RUN_OPTS ${stdout_redirect}
+    start-stop-daemon --background --chdir ${{chdir}} --chuid "$DAEMON_USER" --make-pidfile --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --startas /bin/sh --start -- -c "exec $RUN_CMD $RUN_OPTS ${stdout_redirect}"
   else
-    start-stop-daemon --background --chdir ${{chdir}} --chuid "$DAEMON_USER" --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --startas "$RUN_CMD" --start -- $RUN_OPTS ${stdout_redirect}
+    start-stop-daemon --background --chdir ${{chdir}} --chuid "$DAEMON_USER" --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --startas /bin/sh --start -- -c "exec $RUN_CMD $RUN_OPTS ${stdout_redirect}"
   fi
   log_end_msg $?
 }
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt
index 8a62db3e0..fdcf8d452 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/sysvinit-deb/build.sbt
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ TaskKey[Unit]("checkStartupScript") := {
   )
   assert(
     script.contains(
-      """start-stop-daemon --background --chdir /usr/share/debian-test --chuid "$DAEMON_USER" --make-pidfile --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --startas "$RUN_CMD" --start -- $RUN_OPTS ${stdout_redirect}"""
+      """start-stop-daemon --background --chdir /usr/share/debian-test --chuid "$DAEMON_USER" --make-pidfile --pidfile "$PIDFILE" --startas /bin/sh --start -- -c "exec $RUN_CMD $RUN_OPTS ${stdout_redirect}"""
     ),
     "script has wrong startup line\n" + script
   )