diff --git a/src/suggestion.zsh b/src/suggestion.zsh
index b94031e..f8e5459 100644
--- a/src/suggestion.zsh
+++ b/src/suggestion.zsh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 # Get a suggestion from history that matches a given prefix
 _zsh_autosuggest_suggestion() {
-	local prefix=$(_zsh_autosuggest_escape_command_prefix "$1")
+	local prefix="$(_zsh_autosuggest_escape_command_prefix "$1")"
 
 	# Get all history items (reversed) that match pattern $prefix*
 	local history_matches
diff --git a/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh b/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
index c466ebc..1d21c2a 100644
--- a/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
+++ b/zsh-autosuggestions.zsh
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ zle -N autosuggest-clear _zsh_autosuggest_widget_clear
 
 # Get a suggestion from history that matches a given prefix
 _zsh_autosuggest_suggestion() {
-	local prefix=$(_zsh_autosuggest_escape_command_prefix "$1")
+	local prefix="$(_zsh_autosuggest_escape_command_prefix "$1")"
 
 	# Get all history items (reversed) that match pattern $prefix*
 	local history_matches