diff --git a/src/centpkg/__init__.py b/src/centpkg/__init__.py
index 8e7ba4e..1956a2b 100644
--- a/src/centpkg/__init__.py
+++ b/src/centpkg/__init__.py
@@ -189,14 +189,14 @@ class Commands(Commands):
         self._distval = self._distvar.replace('.', '_')
 
         self._disttag = 'el%s' % self._distval
-        self._rpmdefines = ["--define '_sourcedir %s'" % self.layout.sourcedir,
-                            "--define '_specdir %s'" % self.layout.specdir,
-                            "--define '_builddir %s'" % self.layout.builddir,
-                            "--define '_srcrpmdir %s'" % self.layout.srcrpmdir,
-                            "--define '_rpmdir %s'" % self.layout.rpmdir,
-                            "--define 'dist .%s'" % self._disttag,
+        self._rpmdefines = ['--define', '_sourcedir %s' % self.layout.sourcedir,
+                            '--define', '_specdir %s' % self.layout.specdir,
+                            '--define', '_builddir %s' % self.layout.builddir,
+                            '--define', '_srcrpmdir %s' % self.layout.srcrpmdir,
+                            '--define', '_rpmdir %s' % self.layout.rpmdir,
+                            '--define', 'dist .%s' % self._disttag,
                             # int and float this to remove the decimal
-                            "--define '%s 1'" % self._disttag]
+                            '--define', '%s 1' % self._disttag]
         self.log.debug("RPMDefines: %s" % self._rpmdefines)
 
     def construct_build_url(self, *args, **kwargs):