diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bdac575f..edb8f316 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ cleanup-kind:
 	rm $(TEST_KUBECONFIG)
 
 test: $(EMBEDDED_MANIFESTS_TARGET) tidy fmt vet setup-envtest
-	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS=$(KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS) go test ./... -coverprofile cover.out --tags=unit
+	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS="$(KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS)" go test ./... -coverprofile cover.out --tags=unit
 
 e2e: $(EMBEDDED_MANIFESTS_TARGET) tidy fmt vet
 	TEST_KUBECONFIG=$(TEST_KUBECONFIG) go test ./cmd/flux/... -coverprofile e2e.cover.out --tags=e2e -v -failfast