diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 1398d35..759ccde 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ Depends:
     iptables,
     net-tools,
     ethtool,
+    socat,
     tinyproxy,
-    nmap-ncat,
     ${python:Depends},
     ${misc:Depends}
 Recommends:
diff --git a/qubes-rpc/qubes.UpdatesProxy b/qubes-rpc/qubes.UpdatesProxy
index 072eba8..67b81ab 100755
--- a/qubes-rpc/qubes.UpdatesProxy
+++ b/qubes-rpc/qubes.UpdatesProxy
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-exec nc localhost 8082
+exec socat STDIO TCP:localhost:8082
diff --git a/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec b/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec
index f90c773..2642f66 100644
--- a/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec
+++ b/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ Summary:    Networking support for Qubes VM
 Requires:   ethtool
 Requires:   net-tools
 Requires:   nftables
-Requires:   nmap-ncat
+Requires:   socat
 Requires:   qubes-core-agent
 Requires:   tinyproxy
 Conflicts:  qubes-core-vm < 4.0.0