diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/select.rs b/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/select.rs
index 48ff2b7bc..59a014536 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/select.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/select.rs
@@ -99,3 +99,29 @@ fn allows_if_given_unknown_column_name_is_missing() {
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "3");
     })
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn column_names_with_spaces() {
+    Playground::setup("select_test_4", |dirs, sandbox| {
+        sandbox.with_files(vec![FileWithContentToBeTrimmed(
+            "test_data.csv",
+            r#"
+                    first name,last name
+                    Jonathan,Turner
+                    Jonathan,Arns
+                "#,
+        )]);
+
+        let actual = nu!(
+            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            r#"
+                open test_data.csv
+                | select "last name"
+                | to json
+            "#
+        ));
+
+        let expected_output = r#"[{"last name":"Turner"},{"last name":"Arns"}]"#;
+        assert_eq!(actual.out, expected_output);
+    })
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-value-ext/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-value-ext/src/lib.rs
index e86135985..08f1f55cd 100644
--- a/crates/nu-value-ext/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-value-ext/src/lib.rs
@@ -570,21 +570,13 @@ pub fn as_string(value: &Value) -> Result<String, ShellError> {
         UntaggedValue::Primitive(Primitive::Int(x)) => Ok(format!("{}", x)),
         UntaggedValue::Primitive(Primitive::Filesize(x)) => Ok(format!("{}", x)),
         UntaggedValue::Primitive(Primitive::Path(x)) => Ok(format!("{}", x.display())),
-        UntaggedValue::Primitive(Primitive::ColumnPath(path)) => {
-            let joined = path
-                .iter()
-                .map(|member| match &member.unspanned {
-                    UnspannedPathMember::String(name) => name.to_string(),
-                    UnspannedPathMember::Int(n) => format!("{}", n),
-                })
-                .join(".");
-
-            if joined.contains(' ') {
-                Ok(format!("\"{}\"", joined))
-            } else {
-                Ok(joined)
-            }
-        }
+        UntaggedValue::Primitive(Primitive::ColumnPath(path)) => Ok(path
+            .iter()
+            .map(|member| match &member.unspanned {
+                UnspannedPathMember::String(name) => name.to_string(),
+                UnspannedPathMember::Int(n) => format!("{}", n),
+            })
+            .join(".")),
 
         // TODO: this should definitely be more general with better errors
         other => Err(ShellError::labeled_error(