diff --git a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/app/app.pro b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/app/app.pro
index d8da9cc01..5415a0c32 100644
--- a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/app/app.pro
+++ b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/app/app.pro
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ include(../libs/version_info/version_info.pri)
 
 LIBS *= -l$$qtLibraryName(ExtensionSystem) -l$$qtLibraryName(Aggregation)
 
-DEFINES += PLUGIN_REL_PATH=\\\"$$relative_path($$GCS_PLUGIN_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH)\\\"
-DEFINES += GCS_NAME=\\\"$$GCS_APP_TARGET\\\"
+DEFINES += PLUGIN_REL_PATH=$$shell_quote(\"$$relative_path($$GCS_PLUGIN_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH)\")
+DEFINES += GCS_NAME=$$shell_quote(\"$$GCS_APP_TARGET\")
 
 win32 {
     RC_FILE = openpilotgcs.rc
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ win32 {
 } else {
     target.path  = /bin
     INSTALLS    += target
-    QMAKE_RPATHDIR = \'\$$ORIGIN\'/$$relative_path($$GCS_LIBRARY_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH)
-    QMAKE_RPATHDIR += \'\$$ORIGIN\'/$$relative_path($$GCS_QT_LIBRARY_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH)
+    QMAKE_RPATHDIR  = $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN/$$relative_path($$GCS_LIBRARY_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH))
+    QMAKE_RPATHDIR += $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN/$$relative_path($$GCS_QT_LIBRARY_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH))
     include(../rpath.pri)
 
     equals(copyqt, 1) {
diff --git a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.pro b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.pro
index c40987f6d..49d35d33a 100644
--- a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.pro
+++ b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/extensionsystem/extensionsystem.pro
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ include(extensionsystem_dependencies.pri)
 
 unix:!macx:!freebsd*:LIBS += -ldl
 
-DEFINES += GCS_TEST_DIR=\\\"$$GCS_SOURCE_TREE\\\"
+DEFINES += GCS_TEST_DIR=$$shell_quote(\"$$GCS_SOURCE_TREE\")
 
 QT += widgets
 
diff --git a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/utils/utils.pro b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/utils/utils.pro
index 6e0dadc56..3a6c39b4e 100644
--- a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/utils/utils.pro
+++ b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/libs/utils/utils.pro
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ DEFINES += QTCREATOR_UTILS_LIB
 
 include(../../openpilotgcslibrary.pri)
 
-DEFINES += DATA_REL_PATH=\\\"$$relative_path($$GCS_DATA_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH)\\\"
+DEFINES += DATA_REL_PATH=$$shell_quote(\"$$relative_path($$GCS_DATA_PATH, $$GCS_APP_PATH)\")
 
 SOURCES += reloadpromptutils.cpp \
     settingsutils.cpp \
diff --git a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcslibrary.pri b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcslibrary.pri
index 4dbe647f5..4c5bc8cfb 100644
--- a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcslibrary.pri
+++ b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcslibrary.pri
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ macx {
         target.path = /bin
         target.files = $$DESTDIR/$${TARGET}.dll
     } else {
-        QMAKE_RPATHDIR = \'\$$ORIGIN\'
-        QMAKE_RPATHDIR += \'\$$ORIGIN\'/$$relative_path($$GCS_QT_LIBRARY_PATH, $$GCS_LIBRARY_PATH)
+        QMAKE_RPATHDIR  = $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN)
+        QMAKE_RPATHDIR += $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN/$$relative_path($$GCS_QT_LIBRARY_PATH, $$GCS_LIBRARY_PATH))
         include(rpath.pri)
 
         target.path = /$$GCS_LIBRARY_BASENAME/openpilotgcs
diff --git a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcsplugin.pri b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcsplugin.pri
index 8215631d3..beed30374 100644
--- a/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcsplugin.pri
+++ b/ground/openpilotgcs/src/openpilotgcsplugin.pri
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ TARGET = $$qtLibraryName($$TARGET)
 macx {
         QMAKE_LFLAGS_SONAME = -Wl,-install_name,@executable_path/../Plugins/$${PROVIDER}/
 } else:linux-* {
-    QMAKE_RPATHDIR = \'\$$ORIGIN\'
-    QMAKE_RPATHDIR += \'\$$ORIGIN\'/$$relative_path($$GCS_LIBRARY_PATH, $$DESTDIR)
-    QMAKE_RPATHDIR += \'\$$ORIGIN\'/$$relative_path($$GCS_QT_LIBRARY_PATH, $$DESTDIR)
+    QMAKE_RPATHDIR  = $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN)
+    QMAKE_RPATHDIR += $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN/$$relative_path($$GCS_LIBRARY_PATH, $$DESTDIR))
+    QMAKE_RPATHDIR += $$shell_quote(\$$ORIGIN/$$relative_path($$GCS_QT_LIBRARY_PATH, $$DESTDIR))
     include(rpath.pri)
 }