diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_repo/explorer/enabled_repo_ids b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_repo/explorer/enabled_repo_ids
index a0d092b1..2dfb946f 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_repo/explorer/enabled_repo_ids
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_repo/explorer/enabled_repo_ids
@@ -21,4 +21,6 @@
 # Retrieve all repo id nummbers from enabled repos - parsed zypper output
 #
 #
-echo $(zypper lr -E | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
+# simpler command which works only on SLES11 SP3 or newer:
+# echo $(zypper lr -E | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
+echo $(zypper lr |  grep -E '^[0-9]([^|]+\|){3,3} Yes' | cut -d'|' -f 1)
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/repo_ids b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/repo_ids
index 8c32b40b..e831b76c 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/repo_ids
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/repo_ids
@@ -21,4 +21,7 @@
 # Manage services with Zypper (mostly suse)
 #
 #
-echo $(zypper lr -u -E  | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
+# simpler command which works only on SLES11 SP3 or newer:
+# echo $(zypper lr -u -E | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
+# on older systems, zypper doesn't know the parameter -E 
+echo $(zypper lr -u | grep -E '^([^|]+\|){3,3} Yes' | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_id b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_id
index b473340c..9c3d3a2d 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_id
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_id
@@ -25,4 +25,6 @@ if [ -f "$__object/parameter/service_uri" ]; then
 else
    uri="/$__object_id"
 fi
-echo $(zypper ls -u -E | grep -E "\<$uri\>" | cut -d'|' -f 1 )
+# simpler command which works only on SLES11 SP3 or newer:
+# echo $(zypper ls -u -E | grep -E "\<$uri\>" | cut -d'|' -f 1 )
+echo $(zypper ls -u | grep -E '^([^|]+\|){3,3} Yes' | grep -E "\<$uri\>" | cut -d'|' -f 1 )
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_ids b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_ids
index 460b2006..0f1f4186 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_ids
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_ids
@@ -20,4 +20,6 @@
 #
 # Manage services with Zypper (mostly suse)
 #
-echo $(zypper ls -u -E  | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
+# simpler command which works only on SLES11 SP3 or newer:
+# echo $(zypper ls -u -E | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
+echo $(zypper ls -u | grep -E '^([^|]+\|){3,3} Yes' | cut -d'|' -f 1 | grep -E '^[0-9]')
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_uri b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_uri
index aec93cb2..2f4f8960 100644
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_uri
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__zypper_service/explorer/service_uri
@@ -25,4 +25,6 @@ if [ -f "$__object/parameter/service_uri" ]; then
 else
    uri="/$__object_id"
 fi
-echo $(zypper ls -u -E | grep -E "\<$uri\>" | cut -d'|' -f 7 )
+# simpler command which works only on SLES11 SP3 or newer:
+# echo $(zypper ls -u -E | grep -E "\<$uri\>" | cut -d'|' -f 7)
+echo $(zypper ls -u | grep -E '^([^|]+\|){3,3} Yes' | grep -E "\<$uri\>" | cut -d'|' -f 7 )