diff --git a/ejabberdctl.template b/ejabberdctl.template
index eca563478..d5b67fb9c 100755
--- a/ejabberdctl.template
+++ b/ejabberdctl.template
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ uid()
     uuid=$(uuidgen 2>/dev/null)
     [ -z "$uuid" ] && [ -f /proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid ] && uuid=$(cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid)
     [ -z "$uuid" ] && uuid=$(printf "%X" "${RANDOM:-$$}$(date +%M%S)")
-    uuid=${uuid:0:3}
+    uuid=$(printf '%s' $uuid | sed 's/^\(...\).*$/\1/')
     [ $# -eq 0 ] && echo "${uuid}-${ERLANG_NODE}"
     [ $# -eq 1 ] && echo "${uuid}-${1}-${ERLANG_NODE}"
     [ $# -eq 2 ] && echo "${uuid}-${1}@${2}"