diff --git a/backup.sh b/backup.sh
index 48c42d5..876d823 100755
--- a/backup.sh
+++ b/backup.sh
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ send_latest()
             esac
         fi
         for dataset in $SEND_DATASETS; do
-            dataset=`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f1`
-            remote_dataset=`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f2`
+            dataset="`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f1`"
+            remote_dataset="`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f2`"
             debug "dataset: $dataset"
             debug "remote dataset: $remote_dataset"
             origin_snapshot=`get_latest_snapshot $dataset`
@@ -220,8 +220,8 @@ send_increment()
             esac
         fi
         for dataset in $SEND_DATASETS; do
-            dataset=`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f1`
-            remote_dataset=`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f2`
+            dataset="`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f1`"
+            remote_dataset="`echo $dataset|cut -d':' -f2`"
             origin_snapshot=`get_latest_snapshot`
             remote_snapshot=`get_latest_remote_snapshot`
             if [ $BG_TEST_MODE = "TRUE" ]; then