diff --git a/build_tools/check.sh b/build_tools/check.sh
index b40aa6ef7..b3948c509 100755
--- a/build_tools/check.sh
+++ b/build_tools/check.sh
@@ -132,11 +132,11 @@ system_tests() (
 if $is_cygwin; then
     # shellcheck disable=2059
     printf "=== Running ${green}integration tests ${yellow}with${green} symlinks${reset}\n"
-    system_tests $cygwin_var=winsymlinks
+    system_tests "$cygwin_var"=winsymlinks
 
     # shellcheck disable=2059
     printf "=== Running ${green}integration tests ${yellow}without${green} symlinks${reset}\n"
-    system_tests $cygwin_var=winsymlinks
+    system_tests "$cygwin_var"=winsymlinks
 else
     # shellcheck disable=2059
     printf "=== Running ${green}integration tests${reset}\n"