diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 6c1829ab8e..d078dc1221 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1522,7 +1522,7 @@ test_pkg_config(){
     funcs="$4"
     shift 4
     disable $name
-    test_cmd $pkg_config --exists --print-errors $pkg_version || return
+    test_cmd $pkg_config --exists --print-errors "$pkg_version" || return
     pkg_cflags=$($pkg_config --cflags $pkg_config_flags $pkg)
     pkg_libs=$($pkg_config --libs $pkg_config_flags $pkg)
     pkg_incdir=$($pkg_config --variable=includedir $pkg_config_flags $pkg)
@@ -1542,7 +1542,7 @@ test_pkg_config_cpp(){
     cond="$4"
     shift 4
     disable $name
-    test_cmd $pkg_config --exists --print-errors $pkg_version || return
+    test_cmd $pkg_config --exists --print-errors "$pkg_version" || return
     pkg_cflags=$($pkg_config --cflags $pkg_config_flags $pkg)
     pkg_incdir=$($pkg_config --variable=includedir $pkg_config_flags $pkg)
     pkg_incflags=$($pkg_config --cflags-only-I $pkg_config_flags $pkg)