diff --git a/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk b/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk
index e468f2a25d..d66f4e9925 100644
--- a/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk
+++ b/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 LIRC_TOOLS_DEPENDENCIES += python3 host-python3-setuptools
-LIRC_TOOLS_MAKE_ENV += SETUPTOOLS_ENV="$(PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV)"
+LIRC_TOOLS_MAKE_ENV += SETUPTOOLS_ENV='$(PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV)'
 endif
 
 define LIRC_TOOLS_INSTALL_INIT_SYSV