diff --git a/make/projects-dir.mk b/make/projects-dir.mk
index 9ea39346..a70684c4 100644
--- a/make/projects-dir.mk
+++ b/make/projects-dir.mk
@@ -233,10 +233,10 @@ pkg-manager-refresh:
 	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) refresh $(DASH_Y)
 
 pkg-install-build-deps:
-	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install $(DASH_Y) $(BASE_PKGS) $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) required-os-pkg --skip-excluded --flavours "build" $(TARGET_PROJECTS))
+	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install $(DASH_Y) "$(BASE_PKGS) $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) required-os-pkg --skip-excluded --flavours build $(TARGET_PROJECTS))"
 
 pkg-install-release-deps:
-	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install $(DASH_Y) $(BASE_PKGS) $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) required-os-pkg --skip-excluded --flavours "build run release" $(TARGET_PROJECTS))
+	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install $(DASH_Y) "$(BASE_PKGS) $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) required-os-pkg --skip-excluded --flavours 'build run release' $(TARGET_PROJECTS))"
 
 pkg-exclude-built-today:
 	touch $(EXCLUDES_FILE)