diff --git a/src/scripts/xzless.in b/src/scripts/xzless.in
index 9bc9706b..288dd871 100644
--- a/src/scripts/xzless.in
+++ b/src/scripts/xzless.in
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ if test "${LESSMETACHARS+set}" != set; then
 	LESSMETACHARS="$space$tab$nl'"';*?"()<>[|&^`#\$%=~'
 fi
 
-less_ver=$(less -V | awk '/^less ([0-9]+)( \(.*\))?$/ { print $2; exit }')
-if test -n "$less_ver" && test "$less_ver" -ge 429; then
+if test "$(less -V | { read less ver re && echo ${ver}; })" -ge 429; then
 	# less 429 or later: LESSOPEN pipe will be used on
 	# standard input if $LESSOPEN begins with |-.
 	LESSOPEN="|-$xz -cdfq -- %s"