diff --git a/spectre-meltdown-checker.sh b/spectre-meltdown-checker.sh
index d138bd2..249d986 100755
--- a/spectre-meltdown-checker.sh
+++ b/spectre-meltdown-checker.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Spectre & Meltdown checker
 # Stephane Lesimple
-VERSION=0.04
+VERSION=0.05
 
 pstatus()
 {
@@ -116,14 +116,23 @@ fi
 if [ ! -e /dev/cpu/0/msr ]; then
 	pstatus yellow UNKNOWN "couldn't read /dev/cpu/0/msr, is msr support enabled in your kernel?"
 else
-	dd if=/dev/cpu/0/msr of=/dev/null bs=1 count=8 skip=72 2>/dev/null
-	if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-		pstatus green YES
+	if which rdmsr >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+		rdmsr 0x48 >/dev/null 2>&1
+		if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+			pstatus green YES
+		else
+			pstatus red NO
+		fi
 	else
-		pstatus red NO
+		pstatus yellow UNKNOWN "missing 'rdmsr' tool, please install it, usually it's in the msr-tools package"
+		# doesn't work:
+		#dd if=/dev/cpu/0/msr of=/dev/null bs=1 count=8 skip=72 2>/dev/null
+		#if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+		#	pstatus green YES
+		#else
+		#	pstatus red NO
+		#fi
 	fi
-	#dd if=/dev/cpu/0/msr of=/dev/null bs=1 count=8 skip=73 2>/dev/null
-	#/bin/echo $?
 fi
 
 if [ "$insmod_msr" = 1 ]; then