diff -u b/src/journal.sh b/src/journal.sh
--- b/src/journal.sh
+++ b/src/journal.sh
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@
 rljAddPhase(){
     __INTERNAL_PersistentDataLoad
     local MSG=${2:-"Phase of $1 type"}
-    local TXTLOG_START=$(wc -l $__INTERNAL_BEAKERLIB_JOURNAL_TXT)
+    local TXTLOG_START=$(cat $__INTERNAL_BEAKERLIB_JOURNAL_TXT | wc -l)
     rlLogDebug "rljAddPhase: Phase $MSG started"
     __INTERNAL_WriteToMetafile phase --name "$MSG" --type "$1" >&2
     # Printing
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@
       __INTERNAL_PHASE_FAILED=( 0 )
       __INTERNAL_PHASE_PASSED=( 0 )
       __INTERNAL_PHASE_STARTTIME=( $__INTERNAL_TIMESTAMP )
-      __INTERNAL_PHASE_TXTLOG_START=( $(wc -l $__INTERNAL_BEAKERLIB_JOURNAL_TXT) )
+      __INTERNAL_PHASE_TXTLOG_START=( $TXTLOG_START )
       __INTERNAL_PHASE_OPEN=${#__INTERNAL_PHASE_NAME[@]}
       __INTERNAL_PHASE_METRICS=( "" )
     else