diff -u b/src/journal.sh b/src/journal.sh

--- b/src/journal.sh

+++ b/src/journal.sh

@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@

 rljAddPhase(){

     __INTERNAL_PersistentDataLoad

     local MSG=${2:-"Phase of $1 type"}

-    local TXTLOG_START=$(wc -l $__INTERNAL_BEAKERLIB_JOURNAL_TXT)

+    local TXTLOG_START=$(cat $__INTERNAL_BEAKERLIB_JOURNAL_TXT | wc -l)

     rlLogDebug "rljAddPhase: Phase $MSG started"

     __INTERNAL_WriteToMetafile phase --name "$MSG" --type "$1" >&2

     # Printing

@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@

       __INTERNAL_PHASE_FAILED=( 0 )

       __INTERNAL_PHASE_PASSED=( 0 )

       __INTERNAL_PHASE_STARTTIME=( $__INTERNAL_TIMESTAMP )

-      __INTERNAL_PHASE_TXTLOG_START=( $(wc -l $__INTERNAL_BEAKERLIB_JOURNAL_TXT) )

+      __INTERNAL_PHASE_TXTLOG_START=( $TXTLOG_START )

       __INTERNAL_PHASE_OPEN=${#__INTERNAL_PHASE_NAME[@]}

       __INTERNAL_PHASE_METRICS=( "" )

     else