diff --git a/etc/network.subr b/etc/network.subr
index f9a1f88f4029..44a58925c702 100644
--- a/etc/network.subr
+++ b/etc/network.subr
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ ifconfig_up()
 	# ifconfig_IF
 	ifconfig_args=`ifconfig_getargs $1`
 	if [ -n "${ifconfig_args}" ]; then
-		ifconfig $1 ${ifconfig_args}
+		eval ifconfig $1 ${ifconfig_args}
 		_cfg=0
 	fi