diff --git a/lib/chef-dk/command/shell_init.rb b/lib/chef-dk/command/shell_init.rb
index b55937ac5..212073113 100644
--- a/lib/chef-dk/command/shell_init.rb
+++ b/lib/chef-dk/command/shell_init.rb
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ def run(argv)
 
         env = omnibus_env.dup
         path = env.delete("PATH")
-        msg("export PATH=#{path}")
+        msg("export PATH=\"#{path}\"")
         env.each do |var_name, value|
-          msg("export #{var_name}=#{value}")
+          msg("export #{var_name}=\"#{value}\"")
         end
         0
       end
diff --git a/lib/chef-dk/helpers.rb b/lib/chef-dk/helpers.rb
index 73b821a68..03f1a0f69 100644
--- a/lib/chef-dk/helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/chef-dk/helpers.rb
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def omnibus_env
           user_bin_dir = File.expand_path(File.join(Gem.user_dir, 'bin'))
           {
             'PATH' => [ omnibus_bin_dir, user_bin_dir, omnibus_embedded_bin_dir, ENV['PATH'] ].join(File::PATH_SEPARATOR),
-            'GEM_ROOT' => Gem.default_dir.inspect,
+            'GEM_ROOT' => Gem.default_dir,
             'GEM_HOME' => Gem.user_dir,
             'GEM_PATH' => Gem.path.join(':'),
           }
diff --git a/spec/unit/command/exec_spec.rb b/spec/unit/command/exec_spec.rb
index 3e4efbdb0..83b4a68c2 100644
--- a/spec/unit/command/exec_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/command/exec_spec.rb
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def run_command
 
       let(:expected_PATH) { [omnibus_bin_dir, user_bin_dir, omnibus_embedded_bin_dir, ENV['PATH']].join(File::PATH_SEPARATOR) }
 
-      let(:expected_GEM_ROOT) { Gem.default_dir.inspect }
+      let(:expected_GEM_ROOT) { Gem.default_dir }
 
       let(:expected_GEM_HOME) { Gem.user_dir }
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def run_command
 
       let(:expected_PATH) { [omnibus_bin_dir, user_bin_dir, omnibus_embedded_bin_dir, ENV['PATH']].join(File::PATH_SEPARATOR) }
 
-      let(:expected_GEM_ROOT) { Gem.default_dir.inspect }
+      let(:expected_GEM_ROOT) { Gem.default_dir }
 
       let(:expected_GEM_HOME) { Gem.user_dir }
 
diff --git a/spec/unit/command/shell_init_spec.rb b/spec/unit/command/shell_init_spec.rb
index ebb69a947..1103ced27 100644
--- a/spec/unit/command/shell_init_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/command/shell_init_spec.rb
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@
 
   let(:expected_environment_commands) do
     <<-EOH
-export PATH=#{expected_path}
+export PATH="#{expected_path}"
 export GEM_ROOT="#{expected_gem_root}"
-export GEM_HOME=#{expected_gem_home}
-export GEM_PATH=#{expected_gem_path}
+export GEM_HOME="#{expected_gem_home}"
+export GEM_PATH="#{expected_gem_path}"
 EOH
   end