diff --git a/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.py b/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.py
index 27f84af..a62c07c 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.py
+++ b/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.py
@@ -52,15 +52,15 @@
     def create_client_script(self, tenant):
         script = open("/opt/xos/core/static/vpn/" + str(tenant.script), 'w')
         # write the configuration portion
-        script.write("printf \"")
+        script.write("printf \"%b\" \"")
         for line in self.generate_client_conf(tenant).splitlines():
             script.write(line + r"\n")
         script.write("\" > client.conf\n")
-        script.write("printf \"")
+        script.write("printf \"%b\" \"")
         for line in self.generate_login().splitlines():
             script.write(line + r"\n")
         script.write("\" > login.up\n")
-        script.write("printf \"")
+        script.write("printf \"%b\" \"")
         for line in tenant.ca_crt:
             script.write(line.rstrip() + r"\n")
         script.write("\" > ca.crt\n")
diff --git a/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.yaml b/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.yaml
index 6c9ce87..54bdcf1 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.yaml
+++ b/xos/synchronizers/vpn/steps/sync_vpntenant.yaml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
     shell: rm -f auth.sh
 
   - name: write auth script
-    shell: echo "exit 0" > auth.sh
+    shell: printf "%b" "#!/bin/bash\nexit 0" > auth.sh
 
   - name: make auth script executable
     shell: chmod 777 auth.sh