diff --git a/test/make/check_so_deps.sh b/test/make/check_so_deps.sh
index f7fa13749..344f26b2b 100755
--- a/test/make/check_so_deps.sh
+++ b/test/make/check_so_deps.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,13 @@ EOF
 			continue
 		fi
 
-		if ! output=$(abidiff "$source_abi_dir/$so_file" "$libdir/$so_file" --headers-dir1 "$source_abi_dir/../../include/" --headers-dir2 "$rootdir/include" --leaf-changes-only --suppressions $suppression_file --stat); then
+		cmd_args=('abidiff'
+			$source_abi_dir/$so_file $libdir/$so_file
+			'--headers-dir1' $source_abi_dir/../../include
+			'--headers-dir2' $rootdir/include
+			'--leaf-changes-only' '--suppressions' $suppression_file)
+
+		if ! output=$("${cmd_args[@]}" --stat); then
 			# remove any filtered out variables.
 			output=$(sed "s/ [()][^)]*[)]//g" <<< "$output")