diff --git a/dwmblocks.c b/dwmblocks.c
index ded717c..befd252 100644
--- a/dwmblocks.c
+++ b/dwmblocks.c
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ void getcmd(const Block *block, char *output)
 		pclose(cmdf);
 		return;
 	}
+	//only chop off newline if one is present at the end
+	i = output[i-1] == '\n' ? i-1 : i;
 	if (delim[0] != '\0') {
-		//only chop off newline if one is present at the end
-		i = output[i-1] == '\n' ? i-1 : i;
 		strncpy(output+i, delim, delimLen); 
 	}
 	else