diff --git a/bin/battery b/bin/battery
index 93ed99c..17eb0bc 100755
--- a/bin/battery
+++ b/bin/battery
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+subprogram="$(command -v "$0")"
+if ! nonzero "$subprogram" && ! test -e "$0"; then
+	printf "%s: can't find myself!\n" "$0"
+	exit 70 # sysexits(3) EX_SOFTWARE
+else
+	subprogram="$0"
+fi
+
 # battery -> battery.linux battery.netbsd etc
 subprogram="$0"."$(uname | lowercase)"
 
@@ -8,4 +16,4 @@ if ! command -v "$subprogram" >/dev/null 2>&1 && ! test -e "$subprogram"; then
 	exit 70 # sysexits(3) EX_SOFTWARE
 fi
 
-"$subprogram" | exit 70 # sysexits(3) EX_SOFTWARE
+"$subprogram" || exit 70 # sysexits(3) EX_SOFTWARE
diff --git a/bin/data b/bin/data
index c64c756..98cf4f5 100755
--- a/bin/data
+++ b/bin/data
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ CPU_TEMP_FILES="/sys/devices/platform/coretemp.0/hwmon/hwmon4/temp2_input
 CPU_TEMP_SCALE=1000
 
 # format for the date (by default in this script, ISO 8601)
-DATE="date '+%Y-%m-%dT%T'"
+DATE="date +%Y-%m-%dT%T"
 
 DELIMITER=" || "
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ PUBLIC_IP="$(get_public_ip)"
 
 printbar() {
 	printf "%b" "$(get_current_desktop)"
-	printf "%b" $("$DATE")
+	printf "%b" $($DATE)
 	printf "%b" "$DELIMITER"
 	printf "%b" "BAT: $(battery)"
 	printf "%b" "$DELIMITER"