diff --git a/tools/build/stage b/tools/build/stage
index a9bd0e1f7..ee5e3df27 100755
--- a/tools/build/stage
+++ b/tools/build/stage
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ if [ "$HOSTNAME" = lists ]; then
 	COMMAND=cp
 else
 	ssh $USER mkdir -p $DEST
-	$DEST=${USER}:${DEST}
+	DEST=${USER}:${DEST}
 fi
 
 $COMMAND -r errata known_problems.txt patch-$1 ${1}.* releasenotes.txt shorewall*${1}*.tgz* shorewall*${1}*.bz2* $rpm $literpm $perlrpm $shellrpm $DEST