diff --git a/build/build.c b/build/build.c
index c27a671..e173732 100644
--- a/build/build.c
+++ b/build/build.c
@@ -171,11 +171,11 @@ int doScript(Spec spec, int what, const char *name, StringBuf sb, int test)
     (void) fputs(buildTemplate, fp);
 
     if (what != RPMBUILD_PREP && what != RPMBUILD_RMBUILD && spec->buildSubdir)
-	fprintf(fp, "cd %s\n", spec->buildSubdir);
+	fprintf(fp, "cd '%s'\n", spec->buildSubdir);
 
     if (what == RPMBUILD_RMBUILD) {
 	if (spec->buildSubdir)
-	    fprintf(fp, "rm -rf %s\n", spec->buildSubdir);
+	    fprintf(fp, "rm -rf '%s'\n", spec->buildSubdir);
     } else
 	fprintf(fp, "%s", getStringBuf(sb));
 
diff --git a/build/parsePrep.c b/build/parsePrep.c
index 12745be..d6f0c4b 100644
--- a/build/parsePrep.c
+++ b/build/parsePrep.c
@@ -364,20 +364,20 @@ static int doSetupMacro(Spec spec, char *line)
 	const char *buildDir;
 
 	(void) urlPath(buildDirURL, &buildDir);
-	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "cd %s", buildDir);
+	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "cd '%s'", buildDir);
 	appendLineStringBuf(spec->prep, buf);
 	buildDirURL = _free(buildDirURL);
     }
     
     /* delete any old sources */
     if (!leaveDirs) {
-	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "rm -rf %s", spec->buildSubdir);
+	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "rm -rf '%s'", spec->buildSubdir);
 	appendLineStringBuf(spec->prep, buf);
     }
 
     /* if necessary, create and cd into the proper dir */
     if (createDir) {
-	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), MKDIR_P " %s\ncd %s",
+	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), MKDIR_P " '%s'\ncd '%s'",
 		spec->buildSubdir, spec->buildSubdir);
 	appendLineStringBuf(spec->prep, buf);
     }
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ static int doSetupMacro(Spec spec, char *line)
     before = freeStringBuf(before);
 
     if (!createDir) {
-	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "cd %s", spec->buildSubdir);
+	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "cd '%s'", spec->buildSubdir);
 	appendLineStringBuf(spec->prep, buf);
     }