diff --git a/python/Makefile.am b/python/Makefile.am
index 7188318784..316971bd85 100644
--- a/python/Makefile.am
+++ b/python/Makefile.am
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ if HAVE_PYTHON
 if HAVE_PYTHON_DISTUTILS
 all-local:
 	cd $(srcdir) && \
-		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py build --build-base $(abs_builddir)
+		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py build --build-base "$(abs_builddir)"
 
 install-exec-local:
 	cd $(srcdir) && \
-		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py build --build-base $(abs_builddir) \
+		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py build --build-base "$(abs_builddir)" \
 		install --prefix $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)
 
 uninstall-local:
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 clean-local:
 	cd $(srcdir) && \
 		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py clean \
-		--build-base $(abs_builddir)
+		--build-base "$(abs_builddir)"
 	rm -rf scripts-* lib* build
 	find . -name \*.pyc -print0 | xargs -0 rm -f
 
diff --git a/suricata-update/Makefile.am b/suricata-update/Makefile.am
index fe896fb5d4..49414270a2 100644
--- a/suricata-update/Makefile.am
+++ b/suricata-update/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ all-local:
 
 install-exec-local:
 	cd $(srcdir) && \
-		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py build --build-base $(abs_builddir) \
+		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py build --build-base "$(abs_builddir)" \
 		install --prefix $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)
 
 uninstall-local:
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ uninstall-local:
 clean-local:
 	cd $(srcdir) && \
 		$(HAVE_PYTHON) setup.py clean \
-		--build-base $(abs_builddir)
+		--build-base "$(abs_builddir)"
 	rm -rf scripts-* lib* build
 	find . -name \*.pyc -print0 | xargs -0 rm -f