diff --git a/meta-phosphor/recipes-phosphor/sensors/phosphor-hwmon/start_hwmon.sh b/meta-phosphor/recipes-phosphor/sensors/phosphor-hwmon/start_hwmon.sh
index 2f35865..2e346d0 100755
--- a/meta-phosphor/recipes-phosphor/sensors/phosphor-hwmon/start_hwmon.sh
+++ b/meta-phosphor/recipes-phosphor/sensors/phosphor-hwmon/start_hwmon.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
     fi
 fi
 
+# Needed to re-do escaping used to avoid bitbake separator conflicts
 path="${path//:/--}"
-path="${path//-/\\x2d}"
-
-systemctl --no-block $action 'xyz.openbmc_project.Hwmon@'$path'.service'
+# Needed to escape prior to being used as a unit argument
+path="$(systemd-escape "$path")"
+systemctl --no-block "$action" "xyz.openbmc_project.Hwmon@$path.service"