diff --git a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/iscsi/monitor b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/iscsi/monitor
index b274511616..10c3929310 100755
--- a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/iscsi/monitor
+++ b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/iscsi/monitor
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ done < <($XPATH     /DS_DRIVER_ACTION_DATA/DATASTORE/TEMPLATE/HOST \
                     /DS_DRIVER_ACTION_DATA/DATASTORE/TEMPLATE/VG_NAME)
 
 HOST="${XPATH_ELEMENTS[j++]}"
-VG_NAME="${XPATH_ELEMENTS[j++]-$VG_NAME}"
+VG_NAME="${XPATH_ELEMENTS[j++]:-$VG_NAME}"
 
 if [ -z "$HOST" ]; then
     error_message "Datastore template missing 'HOST' attribute."
diff --git a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/lvm/monitor b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/lvm/monitor
index 006a24bb45..f2f356ee24 100755
--- a/src/datastore_mad/remotes/lvm/monitor
+++ b/src/datastore_mad/remotes/lvm/monitor
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ done < <($XPATH     /DS_DRIVER_ACTION_DATA/DATASTORE/TEMPLATE/HOST \
                     /DS_DRIVER_ACTION_DATA/DATASTORE/TEMPLATE/VG_NAME)
 
 HOST="${XPATH_ELEMENTS[j++]}"
-VG_NAME="${XPATH_ELEMENTS[j++]-$VG_NAME}"
+VG_NAME="${XPATH_ELEMENTS[j++]:-$VG_NAME}"
 
 if [ -z "$HOST" ]; then
     error_message "Datastore template missing 'HOST' attribute."