diff --git a/po/AGENTS.md b/po/AGENTS.md
index 94af128b46..e83cbe4497 100644
--- a/po/AGENTS.md
+++ b/po/AGENTS.md
@@ -543,9 +543,9 @@ step 8 after step 6.
        DONE_PO="po/l10n-done.po"
        rm -f "$TODO_JSON" "$TODO_PO" "$DONE_JSON" "$DONE_PO"
 
-       ENTRY_COUNT=$(grep -c '^msgid ' "$PENDING" 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
+       ENTRY_COUNT=$(grep -c '^msgid ' "$PENDING" 2>/dev/null || true)
+       ENTRY_COUNT=${ENTRY_COUNT:-0}
        ENTRY_COUNT=$((ENTRY_COUNT > 0 ? ENTRY_COUNT - 1 : 0))
-
        if test "$ENTRY_COUNT" -gt $min_batch_size
        then
            if test "$ENTRY_COUNT" -gt $((min_batch_size * 8))
@@ -772,7 +772,8 @@ already present.
            cp "$INPUT_PO" "$PENDING"
        fi
 
-       ENTRY_COUNT=$(grep -c '^msgid ' "$PENDING" 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
+       ENTRY_COUNT=$(grep -c '^msgid ' "$PENDING" 2>/dev/null || true)
+       ENTRY_COUNT=${ENTRY_COUNT:-0}
        ENTRY_COUNT=$((ENTRY_COUNT > 0 ? ENTRY_COUNT - 1 : 0))
        if test "$ENTRY_COUNT" -eq 0
        then
@@ -796,7 +797,8 @@ already present.
            NUM=$ENTRY_COUNT
        fi
 
-       BATCH=$(cat "$BATCH_FILE" 2>/dev/null || echo 0)
+       BATCH=$(cat "$BATCH_FILE" 2>/dev/null || true)
+       BATCH=${BATCH:-0}
        BATCH=$((BATCH + 1))
        echo "$BATCH" >"$BATCH_FILE"