diff --git a/Shorewall-core/install.sh b/Shorewall-core/install.sh
index 6263ef7b1..42dd771a1 100755
--- a/Shorewall-core/install.sh
+++ b/Shorewall-core/install.sh
@@ -166,9 +166,9 @@ fi
 
 if [ -z "${VARLIB}" ]; then
     VARLIB=${VARDIR}
-    VARDIR='${VARLIB}/${PRODUCT}'
+    VARDIR="${VARLIB}/${PRODUCT}"
 elif [ -z "${VARDIR}" ]; then
-    VARDIR='${VARLIB}/${PRODUCT}'
+    VARDIR="${VARLIB}/${PRODUCT}"
 fi
 
 for var in SHAREDIR LIBEXECDIR PERLLIBDIR CONFDIR SBINDIR VARLIB VARDIR; do
diff --git a/Shorewall-core/lib.base b/Shorewall-core/lib.base
index 608889255..c093794ff 100644
--- a/Shorewall-core/lib.base
+++ b/Shorewall-core/lib.base
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ if [ -z "${VARLIB}" ]; then
     VARLIB=${VARDIR}
     VARDIR=${VARLIB}/$g_program
 elif [ -z "${VARDIR}" ]; then
-    VARDIR='${VARLIB}/${PRODUCT}'
+    VARDIR="${VARLIB}/${PRODUCT}"
 fi
 
 #