diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8e66e64..176de4c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
   feature)
 - "save pane contents" feature saves files to a separate directory
 - archive and compress pane contents file
+- make archive & compress pane contents process more portable
 
 ### v2.4.0, 2015-02-23
 - add "tmux-test"
diff --git a/scripts/helpers.sh b/scripts/helpers.sh
index b1429d6..6b7ea2e 100644
--- a/scripts/helpers.sh
+++ b/scripts/helpers.sh
@@ -74,13 +74,15 @@ is_session_grouped() {
 # pane content file helpers
 
 pane_contents_create_archive() {
-	tar czf "$(pane_contents_archive_file)" -C "$(resurrect_dir)" ./pane_contents/
+	tar cf - -C "$(resurrect_dir)" ./pane_contents/ |
+		gzip > "$(pane_contents_archive_file)"
 }
 
 pane_content_files_restore_from_archive() {
 	local archive_file="$(pane_contents_archive_file)"
 	if [ -f "$archive_file" ]; then
-		tar xzf "$archive_file" -C "$(resurrect_dir)"
+		gzip -d < "$archive_file" |
+			tar xf - -C "$(resurrect_dir)"
 	fi
 }