diff --git a/test/run-tests.sh b/test/run-tests.sh
index 4c36c2330a05034611f5e3f7b5ff452e938a2a61..d64c5d6e63a6e1dbe511bb79b97fdb98627d4bf8 100755
--- a/test/run-tests.sh
+++ b/test/run-tests.sh
@@ -414,11 +414,11 @@ test_clean_load () {
     nop=build/results/${lisp}-nop.text
     load=build/results/${lisp}-load.text
     $bcmd $eval \
-      '(or`#.(load(string`|test/script-support.lisp|)`:verbose():print())#.(asdf-test::exit-lisp`0))' \
-        > $nop 2>&1
+      "(or'#.(load(string'|test/script-support.lisp|):verbose():print())#.(asdf-test::exit-lisp'0))" \
+      > $nop 2>&1
     $bcmd $eval \
-      '(or`#.(load(string`|test/script-support.lisp|)`:verbose`():print`())#.(asdf-test::verbose())#.(load(string`|build/asdf.lisp|):verbose())#.(asdf/image:quit`0))' \
-        > $load 2>&1
+      "(or'#.(load(string'|test/script-support.lisp|):verbose():print())#.(asdf-test::verbose())#.(load(string'|build/asdf.lisp|):verbose())#.(asdf/image:quit'0))" \
+      > $load 2>&1
     if diff $nop $load ; then
       echo "GOOD: Loading ASDF on $lisp produces no message" >&2 ; return 0
     else