diff --git a/tribits/core/package_arch/TribitsGitRepoVersionInfo.cmake b/tribits/core/package_arch/TribitsGitRepoVersionInfo.cmake
index 6842c3c6c..0e34222ab 100644
--- a/tribits/core/package_arch/TribitsGitRepoVersionInfo.cmake
+++ b/tribits/core/package_arch/TribitsGitRepoVersionInfo.cmake
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ function(tribits_generate_single_repo_version_string  gitRepoDir
       " with output '${gitCmndOutput}' for sha1 ${gitHeadSha1} of repo ${gitRepoDir}!")
     set(headParentList "Error, could not get commit's parents!")
   else()
-    string(REPLACE " " ";" headParentList ${gitCmndOutput})
+    string(REPLACE " " ";" headParentList "${gitCmndOutput}")
   endif()
 
   list(LENGTH headParentList headNumParents)