diff --git a/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml b/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml
index 8e513bafe..11faf3dc5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ jobs:
           if [ -f NEWS.md ]
           then {
             git config --global --add safe.directory $(pwd)
-            DESC_VERSION=$(R --slave -e 'cat(paste(desc::desc_get_version()))' | tr -d '\n')
-            NEWS_VERSION=$(awk '/^#+ /{print $3,$4; exit}' NEWS.md | tr -d '\n')
+            DESC_VERSION=$(R --slave -e 'cat(paste(desc::desc_get_version()))' | tr -d '\n' | xargs)
+            NEWS_VERSION=$(awk '/^#+ /{print $3,$4; exit}' NEWS.md | tr -d '\n' | xargs)
             FIRST_NEWS_LINE=$(head -1 NEWS.md)
             if [ "${{ inputs.vbump-after-release }}" == "true" ]; then
               # Add a new section with the released version that will be vbumped below.
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ jobs:
             fi
             # Replace only the first occurence of $NEWS_VERSION,
             # but only if it's not already set to (development version)
-            if [ "${NEWS_VERSION}" != "(development version)" ]
+            if [ $NEWS_VERSION != "(development version)" ]
             then {
               sed -i "0,/$NEWS_VERSION/s/$NEWS_VERSION/$DESC_VERSION/" NEWS.md
             }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/version.yaml b/.github/workflows/version.yaml
index d4bfba506..27a6a11ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/version.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/version.yaml
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: NEWS.md and DESCRIPTION Version check 🏁
         run: |
-          DESC_VERSION=$(awk -F: '/Version:/{gsub(/[ ]+/,"") ; print $2}' DESCRIPTION | tr -d '\n')
-          NEWS_VERSION=$(awk '/^#+ /{print $3,$4; exit}' NEWS.md | tr -d '\n')
+          DESC_VERSION=$(awk -F: '/Version:/{gsub(/[ ]+/,"") ; print $2}' DESCRIPTION | tr -d '\n' | xargs)
+          NEWS_VERSION=$(awk '/^#+ /{print $3,$4; exit}' NEWS.md | tr -d '\n' | xargs)
           DESC_DEV_VERSION=$(echo $DESC_VERSION | awk -F '.' '{print $NF}')
           echo "NEWS.md version: $NEWS_VERSION"
           echo "DESCRIPTION version: $DESC_VERSION"
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 857e0444c..14236bbeb 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# r.pkg.template 0.1.0.9130
+# r.pkg.template 0.1.0.9131
 
 ### New features