diff --git a/tests/ci/validate.sh b/tests/ci/validate.sh
index 2105e4b080..d5c408fe54 100755
--- a/tests/ci/validate.sh
+++ b/tests/ci/validate.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # This script is intended to be used to run tests that validate the correct
-# packaging / install behavour of XDMoD. For example checking the
+# packaging / install behavior of XDMoD. For example checking the
 # file permissions are correct on the RPM packaged files.
 
 exitcode=0
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ fi
 for file in open_xdmod/build/*.tar.gz;
 do
     echo "Checking $file"
-    if tar tf $file | fgrep .eslintrc.json; then
+    if tar tf "${file}" | fgrep .eslintrc.json; then
         echo "Error eslintrc files found in build tarball $file"
         exitcode=1
     fi
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ done
 
 # Check that the unknown resource is in the database with key 0
 unkrescount=$(echo 'SELECT COUNT(*) from resourcetype WHERE id = 0 and abbrev = '"'"'UNK'"'" | mysql -N modw)
-if [ $unkrescount -ne 1 ];
+if [[ "${unkrescount}" -ne 1 ]]
 then
     echo "Missing / inconsistent 'UNK' row in modw.resourcetype"
     exitcode=1
@@ -30,17 +30,17 @@ fi
 
 # Check that the various scripts have not left any files around in the tmp
 # directory
-FIND_CRITERIA='-type f -newer /usr/share/xdmod/html/index.php ( -user xdmod -o -user apache )'
-if find /tmp $FIND_CRITERIA | grep -q  .
+FIND_CRITERIA=(-type f -newer /usr/share/xdmod/html/index.php '(' -user xdmod -o -user apache ')')
+if find /tmp "${FIND_CRITERIA[@]}" | grep -q  .
 then
     echo "Unexpected files found in temporary directory"
-    find /tmp $FIND_CRITERIA -print0 | xargs -0 ls -la
+    find /tmp "${FIND_CRITERIA[@]}" -print0 | xargs -0 ls -la
     exitcode=1
 fi
 
 # ensure tables absent
 tblcount=$(echo 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM information_schema.tables WHERE table_schema = '"'"'moddb '"'"' AND table_name = '"'"'ReportTemplateACL'"'" | mysql -N information_schema)
-if [ $tblcount -ne 0 ];
+if [[ "${tblcount}" -ne 0 ]]
 then
     echo "Extraneous tables found in database"
 fi