diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
index 4a12d71b4..f4abd8aa3 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-status
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def output(options, console, code, data):
 def check_container_status(options, console):
   code = 0
   cli = "docker"
-  proc = subprocess.run([cli, 'ps', '--format', '{{json .}}'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, encoding="utf-8")
+  proc = subprocess.run([cli, 'ps', '--format', 'json'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, encoding="utf-8")
   if proc.returncode != 0:
     fail("Container system error; unable to obtain container process statuses")