diff --git a/salt.changes b/salt.changes
index e46854c..1bad4b1 100644
--- a/salt.changes
+++ b/salt.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Thu Dec  7 11:19:12 UTC 2017 - dimstar@opensuse.org
+
+- Escape the usage of %{VERSION} when calling out to rpm.
+  RPM 4.14 has %{VERSION} defined as 'the main packages version'.
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Dec  1 15:33:01 UTC 2017 - mihai.dinca@suse.com
 
diff --git a/salt.spec b/salt.spec
index 009ef03..7acd1cf 100644
--- a/salt.spec
+++ b/salt.spec
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ if [ $1 -eq 2 ] ; then
   true
 fi
 %if %{with systemd}
-if [ `rpm -q systemd --queryformat="%{VERSION}"` -lt 228 ]; then
+if [ `rpm -q systemd --queryformat="%%{VERSION}"` -lt 228 ]; then
   # On systemd < 228 the 'TasksTask' attribute is not available.
   # Removing TasksMax from salt-master.service on SLE12SP1 LTSS (bsc#985112)
   sed -i '/TasksMax=infinity/d' %{_unitdir}/salt-master.service