diff --git a/components/compat/externalcommandlistener.cpp b/components/compat/externalcommandlistener.cpp
index 64ec44dfa..fe25bc4c3 100644
--- a/components/compat/externalcommandlistener.cpp
+++ b/components/compat/externalcommandlistener.cpp
@@ -111,9 +111,7 @@ void ExternalCommandListener::CommandPipeThread(const String& commandPath)
 				return;
 			}
 
-
-
-			Log(LogNotice, "ExternalCommandListener", "Client connected");
+			Log(LogDebug, "ExternalCommandListener", "Client connected");
 			Utility::QueueAsyncCallback(boost::bind(&ExternalCommandListener::ClientHandler, this, commandPath, fd));
 		} catch (std::exception&) {
 			Log(LogCritical, "ExternalCommandListener", "Cannot accept new connection.");
@@ -144,6 +142,19 @@ void ExternalCommandListener::ClientHandler(const String& commandPath, int fd)
 
 	String command = line;
 
+	if (command.IsEmpty()) {
+		fclose(fp);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* check if line contains [$unixts] */
+	if (line[0] != '[' || line[11] != ']') {
+		Log(LogDebug, "ExternalCommandListener", "Cannot find timestamp prefix in external command '" + command + "'. Bailing out.");
+		delete line;
+		fclose(fp);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	try {
 		Log(LogInformation, "ExternalCommandListener", "Executing external command: " + command);
 
@@ -152,7 +163,6 @@ void ExternalCommandListener::ClientHandler(const String& commandPath, int fd)
 		std::ostringstream msgbuf;
 		msgbuf << "External command failed.";
 		Log(LogWarning, "ExternalCommandListener", msgbuf.str());
-		return;
 	}
 
 	delete line;
diff --git a/tools/scripts/process_check_result b/tools/scripts/process_check_result
index 6d01ace0c..c329c0554 100755
--- a/tools/scripts/process_check_result
+++ b/tools/scripts/process_check_result
@@ -89,6 +89,6 @@ else
 fi
 
 echo "Sending '$ECHO $CMDLINE >> $CMDFILE'"
-`$ECHO $CMDLINE >> $CMDFILE`
+`$ECHO "$CMDLINE" >> $CMDFILE`
 
 exit 0