diff --git a/tests/virt-aa-helper-test b/tests/virt-aa-helper-test
index 9a97168330..4c8d31c9d7 100755
--- a/tests/virt-aa-helper-test
+++ b/tests/virt-aa-helper-test
@@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ testme() {
     echo "': " >$output
     set +e
     if [ -n "$input" ]; then
-        LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$ld_library_path" $exe $extra_args $args < $input >"$tmpout" 2>&1
+        LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$ld_library_path" "${exe}" $extra_args $args < $input >"$tmpout" 2>&1
     else
-        LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$ld_library_path" $exe $extra_args $args >"$tmpout" 2>&1
+        LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$ld_library_path" "${exe}" $extra_args $args >"$tmpout" 2>&1
     fi
     rc="$?"
     cat "$tmpout" >"$output"