diff --git a/insights/parsers/ibm_proc.py b/insights/parsers/ibm_proc.py
index f59e1b92d6..56191e9856 100644
--- a/insights/parsers/ibm_proc.py
+++ b/insights/parsers/ibm_proc.py
@@ -55,9 +55,10 @@ class IBMFirmwareLevel(Parser):
 
     Typical content looks like::
 
-        FW950.30 (VL950_092)
+        FW950.30 (VL950_092)\x00
 
     Attributes:
+        raw (str): The RAW content of the `ibm,fw-vernum_encoded` file.
         firmware_level (str): The firmware level required by FLRT.
 
     Examples:
@@ -72,9 +73,9 @@ def parse_content(self, content):
         if not content:
             raise SkipException("Empty output.")
 
-        _, fwl = content[0].split(None, 1)
+        self.raw = content[0]
 
-        if not fwl:
+        if "(" not in self.raw or ")" not in self.raw:
             raise SkipException("Nothing to parse.")
 
-        self.firmware_level = fwl.strip('()')
+        self.firmware_level = self.raw[self.raw.index('(') + 1:self.raw.index(')')]
diff --git a/insights/parsers/tests/test_ibm_proc.py b/insights/parsers/tests/test_ibm_proc.py
index 1be5429721..2b095c3125 100644
--- a/insights/parsers/tests/test_ibm_proc.py
+++ b/insights/parsers/tests/test_ibm_proc.py
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@
 """.strip()
 
 PROC_IBM_FWL = """
-FW950.30 (VL950_092)
+FW950.30 (VL950_092)\x00
+""".strip()
+
+PROC_IBM_FWL_NG = """
+FW950.30 VL950_092\x00
 """.strip()
 
 
@@ -31,6 +35,9 @@ def test_ibm_proc_empty():
     with pytest.raises(SkipException):
         IBMFirmwareLevel(context_wrap(''))
 
+    with pytest.raises(SkipException):
+        IBMFirmwareLevel(context_wrap(PROC_IBM_FWL_NG))
+
 
 def test_ibm_proc_doc_examples():
     env = {