diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index c9df700..bc63e2d 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -797,13 +797,13 @@
 # $(1): path (and optionally line) information
 # $(2): message to print
 define echo-warning
-echo -e "$(ESC_BOLD)$(1): $(ESC_WARNING)warning:$(ESC_RESET)$(ESC_BOLD)" $(2) "$(ESC_RESET)" >&2
+echo -e "$(ESC_BOLD)$(1): $(ESC_WARNING)warning:$(ESC_RESET)$(ESC_BOLD)" '$(subst ','\'',$(2))'  "$(ESC_RESET)" >&2
 endef
 
 # $(1): path (and optionally line) information
 # $(2): message to print
 define echo-error
-echo -e "$(ESC_BOLD)$(1): $(ESC_ERROR)error:$(ESC_RESET)$(ESC_BOLD)" $(2) "$(ESC_RESET)" >&2
+echo -e "$(ESC_BOLD)$(1): $(ESC_ERROR)error:$(ESC_RESET)$(ESC_BOLD)" '$(subst ','\'',$(2))'  "$(ESC_RESET)" >&2
 endef
 
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