_ATTRIBUTE=$1
         _FORMAT_STR=$2
         _SHOULD_BE=$3
-        _ACTUAL_VALUE=$(stat --format="${_FORMAT_STR}" ${_PATH_ABS})
+        _MODIFIER=$4
+        _ACTUAL_VALUE=$(stat --format="${_FORMAT_STR}" ${_PATH_ABS} ${_MODIFIER})
         if [ "${_ACTUAL_VALUE}" != "${_SHOULD_BE}" ]; then
             prefixed_msg "Bad ${_ATTRIBUTE}: ${_PATH_ABS} is ${_ACTUAL_VALUE}, should be ${_SHOULD_BE}"
             false
         else
             _EXPECTED_OWNERSHIP='root:root'
         fi
+        _PIPE_FETCH_X_BITS='| cut -c 4,7,10' 
         if [ 'regular file' = "${_TYPE}" ]; then
-            _EXPECTED_PERMISSIONS=$(stat --format='%A' --dereference ${_PATH_REL} | cut -c 4,7,10)
+            _EXPECTED_PERMISSIONS=$(stat --format='%A' --dereference ${_PATH_REL} ${_PIPE_FETCH_X_BITS})
         fi
         set +e
         _compare_stat 'ownership' '%U:%G' "${_EXPECTED_OWNERSHIP}";
-        _compare_stat 'x permissions' '%A | cut -c 4,7,10' "${_EXPECTED_PERMISSIONS}";
+        _compare_stat 'x permissions' '%A' "${_EXPECTED_PERMISSIONS}" "${_PIPE_FETCH_X_BITS}";
         set -e
     done
     prefixed_msg_exit