diff --git a/manifests/profile/base/ceilometer/expirer.pp b/manifests/profile/base/ceilometer/expirer.pp
index 20fa9d868..e2a03990d 100644
--- a/manifests/profile/base/ceilometer/expirer.pp
+++ b/manifests/profile/base/ceilometer/expirer.pp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class tripleo::profile::base::ceilometer::expirer (
   if $step >= 4 {
     include ::ceilometer::expirer
     Cron <| title == 'ceilometer-expirer' |>
-      { command => "sleep $((\$(od -A n -t d -N 3 /dev/urandom) % 86400)) && ${::ceilometer::params::expirer_command}" }
+      { command => "sleep $((\$(od -A n -t d -N 3 /dev/urandom) \\% 86400)) && ${::ceilometer::params::expirer_command}" }
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/spec/classes/tripleo_profile_base_ceilometer_expirer_spec.rb b/spec/classes/tripleo_profile_base_ceilometer_expirer_spec.rb
index b1567d02b..65f88f625 100644
--- a/spec/classes/tripleo_profile_base_ceilometer_expirer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/tripleo_profile_base_ceilometer_expirer_spec.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ describe 'tripleo::profile::base::ceilometer::expirer' do
       it 'should trigger complete configuration' do
         is_expected.to contain_class('ceilometer::expirer')
         is_expected.to contain_cron('ceilometer-expirer').with(
-          :command => 'sleep $(($(od -A n -t d -N 3 /dev/urandom) % 86400)) && ceilometer-expirer'
+          :command => 'sleep $(($(od -A n -t d -N 3 /dev/urandom) \\% 86400)) && ceilometer-expirer'
         )
       end
     end