diff --git a/gclient b/gclient
index 625f90e73..6bc1f6172 100755
--- a/gclient
+++ b/gclient
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 base_dir=$(dirname "$0")
 
-if ! [[ "grep fetch cleanup diff" =~ "$1" ]]; then
+if ! [[ "#grep#fetch#cleanup#diff#" =~ "#$1#" ]]; then
   "$base_dir"/update_depot_tools
 fi