diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh
index 33bb1f02e1..b116f7acca 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ get_image() { # <source> [ <command> ]
 	if [ -z "$cmd" ]; then
 		local magic="$(dd if="$from" bs=2 count=1 2>/dev/null | hexdump -n 2 -e '1/1 "%02x"')"
 		case "$magic" in
-			1f8b) cmd="zcat";;
+			1f8b) cmd="busybox zcat";;
 			*) cmd="cat";;
 		esac
 	fi