diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh b/xbps-src/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh
index d85a799c377..03b6a5fd1c9 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ install_dependencies_pkg()
 			echo "   ${i}: found '$pkgn-$iver'."
 		else
 			echo "   ${i}: not found."
-			notinstalled_deps="$notinstalled_deps $i"
+			notinstalled_deps="${notinstalled_deps} \"${i}\""
 		fi
 	done