diff --git a/templates/common/build_icon.sh b/templates/common/build_icon.sh
index 40052bffab81e95f580c0dacfd8d9f51a9a32bc1..571c0dd388fb6d43268ed3fcad919936e8253fe8 100644
--- a/templates/common/build_icon.sh
+++ b/templates/common/build_icon.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ cd ${WORKDIR}
 . ${WORKDIR}/proj/platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
 load_spack "%spack.init%" "%spack.root%" "%spack.url%" "%spack.branch%" "%spack.compiler%" "%spack.disable_local_config%" "%spack.user_cache_path%"
 
-SPACK_BUILD_ICON=%icon.spack_cmd%
+SPACK_BUILD_ICON="%icon.spack_cmd%"
 if [ ! -z $SPACK_BUILD_ICON ]; then
   echo "Installing ICON with spack!"
   echo "cmd=$SPACK_BUILD_ICON"