diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/rc/io.c b/sys/src/cmd/rc/io.c
index 6ec226641..7c1a27ea1 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/rc/io.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/rc/io.c
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ void
 pwrd(io *f, char *s)
 {
 	char *t;
-	for(t = s;*t;t++) if(*t >= 0 && strchr("`^#*[]=|\\?${}()'<>&;", *t)) break;
+	for(t = s;*t;t++) if(*t >= 0 && (*t <= ' ' || strchr("`^#*[]=|\\?${}()'<>&;", *t))) break;
 	if(t==s || *t)
 		pquo(f, s);
 	else pstr(f, s);