diff --git a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_file_assertions.py b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_file_assertions.py
index f0eba1c..b40276c 100644
--- a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_file_assertions.py
+++ b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_file_assertions.py
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ class TestFileAssertionUtils(ut_utils.BaseTestCase):
         file_assertions.assert_path_glob(
             self._assert, 'test/0', file_details)
         self.run_on_unit.assert_called_once_with(
-            'test/0', 'stat -c "%n %U %G %a" *')
+            'test/0', 'bash -c "shopt -s -q globstar;'
+            ' stat -c "%n %U %G %a" *"')
 
     def test_single_path(self):
         self.run_on_unit.return_value = {
diff --git a/zaza/utilities/file_assertions.py b/zaza/utilities/file_assertions.py
index 08375c1..470fcd2 100644
--- a/zaza/utilities/file_assertions.py
+++ b/zaza/utilities/file_assertions.py
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ import zaza.model as model
 def assert_path_glob(test_case, unit, file_details, paths=[]):
     """Verify all files in a given directory."""
     result = model.run_on_unit(
-        unit, 'stat -c "%n %U %G %a" {}'.format(file_details['path']))
+        unit, 'bash -c "'
+        'shopt -s -q globstar; '
+        'stat -c "%n %U %G %a" {}"'.format(file_details['path']))
     files = result['Stdout']
     for file in files.splitlines():
         file, owner, group, mode = file.split()