diff --git a/iceprod/core/exe.py b/iceprod/core/exe.py
index 35c30620..58e45668 100644
--- a/iceprod/core/exe.py
+++ b/iceprod/core/exe.py
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ async def convert(self):
             print('', file=f)
             print('# debugging', file=f)
             print('echo "dir contents:"', file=f)
-            print('ls -al')
+            print('ls -al', file=f)
             print('', file=f)
             with scope_env(self.cfgparser, self.task.dataset.config['steering'], logger=self.logger) as globalenv:
                 task = self.task.get_task_config()