diff --git a/quickemu b/quickemu
index 742286d..42f8332 100755
--- a/quickemu
+++ b/quickemu
@@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@ function vm_boot() {
   # scripts. The vendor name, Quickemu Project, contains a space. It needs to be
   # double-quoted.
   SHELL_ARGS="${args[*]}"
-  SHELL_ARGS="${SHELL_ARGS//(/\\(}"
+  SHELL_ARGS="${SHELL_ARGS//\(/\\(}"
   SHELL_ARGS="${SHELL_ARGS//)/\\)}"
   SHELL_ARGS="${SHELL_ARGS//Quickemu Project/\"Quickemu Project\"}"