if [ "${_FILENAME}" = 'KILL_ME' ]; then  # only there to ensure directory
                 continue
             fi
-            if $(echo "${_FILENAME}" | grep -E '^LINK_ME'); then
+            if [ $(echo "${_FILENAME}" | grep -E '^LINK_ME' | wc -l) -gt 0 ]; then
                 _LINK_TARGET=$(cat "${_PATH_REL}" | head -1)
                 _LINK_NAME=$(cat "${_PATH_REL}" | tail -1)
                 if [ -z "${_LINK_NAME}" ]; then
     
     # for all paths written into user home directories, chown to respective users
     for _PATH in ${_PATHS_WRITTEN}; do
-        if $(echo "${_PATH}" | grep -E '^/home/'); then
+        if [ $(echo "${_PATH}" | grep -E '^/home/' | wc -l) -gt 0 ]; then
             _USERNAME=$(echo "${_PATH}" | sed -E '/^\/home\///' | sed -E '/\/.*//i')
             chown -R "${_USERNAME}:${_USERNAME}" "${_PATH}" 
         fi