diff --git a/manifests/backup/xtrabackup.pp b/manifests/backup/xtrabackup.pp
index 3dee7ee6e..ff0d88b0c 100644
--- a/manifests/backup/xtrabackup.pp
+++ b/manifests/backup/xtrabackup.pp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 
   $daily_cron_data = ($incremental_backups) ? {
     true  => {
-      'directories' => "--incremental-basedir=${backupdir} --target-dir=${backupdir}/`date +%F_%H-%M-%S`",
+      'directories' => "--incremental-basedir=${backupdir} --target-dir=${backupdir}/$(date +\\%F_\\%H-\\%M-\\%S)",
       'weekday'     => '1-6',
     },
     false => {
diff --git a/spec/classes/mysql_backup_xtrabackup_spec.rb b/spec/classes/mysql_backup_xtrabackup_spec.rb
index 3e4170c2d..c1e779a2a 100644
--- a/spec/classes/mysql_backup_xtrabackup_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/classes/mysql_backup_xtrabackup_spec.rb
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class { 'mysql::server': }
           is_expected.to contain_cron('xtrabackup-daily')
             .with(
               ensure: 'present',
-              command: '/usr/local/sbin/xtrabackup.sh --incremental-basedir=/tmp --target-dir=/tmp/`date +%F_%H-%M-%S` --backup',
+              command: '/usr/local/sbin/xtrabackup.sh --incremental-basedir=/tmp --target-dir=/tmp/$(date +\%F_\%H-\%M-\%S) --backup',
               user: 'root',
               hour: '23',
               minute: '5',
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class { 'mysql::server': }
           is_expected.to contain_cron('xtrabackup-daily')
             .with(
               ensure: 'present',
-              command: '/usr/local/sbin/xtrabackup.sh --incremental-basedir=/tmp --target-dir=/tmp/`date +%F_%H-%M-%S` --backup --skip-ssl',
+              command: '/usr/local/sbin/xtrabackup.sh --incremental-basedir=/tmp --target-dir=/tmp/$(date +\%F_\%H-\%M-\%S) --backup --skip-ssl',
               user: 'root',
               hour: '23',
               minute: '5',