diff --git a/packaging/debian/control b/packaging/debian/control
index aba41a8..9bf6f87 100644
--- a/packaging/debian/control
+++ b/packaging/debian/control
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ Architecture: all
 Depends: google-compute-engine-oslogin,
          google-guest-agent,
          nvme-cli,
-         xxd,
          ${misc:Depends}
 Recommends: rsyslog | system-log-daemon
 Provides: irqbalance
diff --git a/src/lib/udev/google_nvme_id b/src/lib/udev/google_nvme_id
index fc4b047..ef02963 100755
--- a/src/lib/udev/google_nvme_id
+++ b/src/lib/udev/google_nvme_id
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ function err() {
 #######################################
 function get_namespace_device_name() {
   local nvme_json
-  nvme_json="$("$nvme_cli_bin" id-ns -b "$1" | xxd -p -seek 384 | xxd -p -r)"
+  nvme_json="$("$nvme_cli_bin" id-ns -b "$1" | dd bs=1 skip=384 2>/dev/null)"
   if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
     return 1
   fi