diff --git a/mk/rte.module.mk b/mk/rte.module.mk
index 7bf77c1957..53ed4fe98e 100644
--- a/mk/rte.module.mk
+++ b/mk/rte.module.mk
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ build: _postbuild
 $(MODULE).ko: $(SRCS_LINKS)
 	@if [ ! -f $(notdir Makefile) ]; then ln -nfs $(SRCDIR)/Makefile . ; fi
 	@$(MAKE) -C $(RTE_KERNELDIR) M=$(CURDIR) O=$(RTE_KERNELDIR) \
-		CC=$(KERNELCC) CROSS_COMPILE=$(CROSS) V=$(if $V,1,0)
+		CC="$(KERNELCC)" CROSS_COMPILE=$(CROSS) V=$(if $V,1,0)
 
 # install module in $(RTE_OUTPUT)/kmod
 $(RTE_OUTPUT)/kmod/$(MODULE).ko: $(MODULE).ko