diff --git a/bin/piPipes_install_genomes.sh b/bin/piPipes_install_genomes.sh
index 0bba19e..97d0d0b 100644
--- a/bin/piPipes_install_genomes.sh
+++ b/bin/piPipes_install_genomes.sh
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ esac
 
 # unzipping the UCSC.RepeatMask.bed.gz shipped with the pipeline
 # if the piPipes already has this in the github, just unzip it
-[ ! -s UCSC.RepeatMask.bed -a -s UCSC.RepeatMask.bed.gz ] && gunzip UCSC.RepeatMask.bed.gz
+[ ! -s UCSC.RepeatMask.bed -a -s UCSC.RepeatMask.bed.gz ] && gunzip -f UCSC.RepeatMask.bed.gz
 # if the piPipes does not have it, download it from UCSC
 [ ! -s UCSC.RepeatMask.bed -a ! -s UCSC.RepeatMask.bed.gz ] && \
 	mkdir -p rmsk && \