diff --git a/src/freedombone-splitkey b/src/freedombone-splitkey
index b186609f..d0e9fa6c 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-splitkey
+++ b/src/freedombone-splitkey
@@ -157,18 +157,24 @@ fi
 gpg --output $FRAGMENTS_DIR/backup_pubkey.txt \
     --armor --export $MY_BACKUP_KEY_ID
 if [ ! "$?" = "0" ]; then
+    shred -zu $FRAGMENTS_DIR/privkey.txt
     echo $"Unable to extract backup public key for $MY_BACKUP_KEY_ID"
     exit 62928
 fi
-echo '$BACKUP_DUMMY_PASSWORD' | \
+echo "$BACKUP_DUMMY_PASSWORD" | \
     gpg --output $FRAGMENTS_DIR/backup_privkey.txt \
         --batch --passphrase-fd 0 \
         --armor --export-secret-key $MY_BACKUP_KEY_ID
 if [ ! "$?" = "0" ]; then
+    shred -zu $FRAGMENTS_DIR/privkey.txt
     echo $"Unable to extract backup private key for $MY_BACKUP_KEY_ID"
     exit 13783
 fi
 
+# Ensure there aren't any permissions problems when running cat
+chmod +r $FRAGMENTS_DIR/privkey.txt
+chmod +r $FRAGMENTS_DIR/backup_privkey.txt
+
 cat $FRAGMENTS_DIR/pubkey.txt \
     $FRAGMENTS_DIR/privkey.txt \
     $FRAGMENTS_DIR/backup_pubkey.txt \