diff --git a/ush/setup.sh b/ush/setup.sh
index 1dcc748ab..f00e3bf8d 100755
--- a/ush/setup.sh
+++ b/ush/setup.sh
@@ -3064,7 +3064,7 @@ FVCOM_FILE="${FVCOM_FILE}"
 #
 NCORES_PER_NODE="${NCORES_PER_NODE}"
 PE_MEMBER01="${PE_MEMBER01}"
-RUN_CMD_FCST=$(eval echo ${RUN_CMD_FCST})
+RUN_CMD_FCST="$(eval echo \'${RUN_CMD_FCST}\')"
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #