diff --git a/services/openwrt.py b/services/openwrt.py
index cee3da9..31f8d52 100644
--- a/services/openwrt.py
+++ b/services/openwrt.py
@@ -282,17 +282,14 @@ async def get_openwrt_status(cfg: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
     ifnames = sorted({name for name in ifnames if name})
     if ifnames:
         for ifname in ifnames:
-            cmd_clients = ssh_cmd + [
-                "sh",
-                "-c",
-                f"ubus call hostapd.{ifname} get_clients 2>/dev/null || echo '{{}}'",
-            ]
+            cmd_clients = ssh_cmd + ["ubus", "call", f"hostapd.{ifname}", "get_clients"]
             rc2, out2 = await run_cmd_full(cmd_clients, timeout=timeout_sec + 15)
             if rc2 == 124:
-                return f"⚠️ OpenWrt SSH error (wifi clients {ifname}): timeout"
-            payload = _safe_json_load(out2)
-            if payload:
-                wifi_clients.extend(_parse_hostapd_clients(payload, ifname))
+                return f"?? OpenWrt SSH error (wifi clients {ifname}): timeout"
+            if rc2 == 0:
+                payload = _safe_json_load(out2)
+                if payload:
+                    wifi_clients.extend(_parse_hostapd_clients(payload, ifname))
 
     if leases:
         leases_list = _extract_leases(leases)