diff --git a/package/gluon-mesh-babel/files/etc/init.d/gluon-mesh-babel b/package/gluon-mesh-babel/files/etc/init.d/gluon-mesh-babel
index e902f8cb..338bc453 100755
--- a/package/gluon-mesh-babel/files/etc/init.d/gluon-mesh-babel
+++ b/package/gluon-mesh-babel/files/etc/init.d/gluon-mesh-babel
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ start_service() {
 echotobabel() {
 	local count=0
 	local line="$1"
-	while ! (echo -e "$line" | nc ::1 "$PORT" >/dev/null 2>&1)
+	while ! (echo -e "$line" | busybox nc ::1 "$PORT" >/dev/null 2>&1)
 	do
 		sleep 1
 		echo retrying to connect to babeld in PID $$, waited ${count}s >&2