diff --git a/tests/functional/check-refs.sh b/tests/functional/check-refs.sh
index 2cebdd84d..6534e55c6 100755
--- a/tests/functional/check-refs.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/check-refs.sh
@@ -6,42 +6,42 @@ clearStore
 
 RESULT=$TEST_ROOT/result
 
-dep=$(nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A dep)
+dep=$(nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A dep)
 
 # test1 references dep, not itself.
-test1=$(nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test1)
-nix-store -q --references $test1 | grepQuietInverse $test1
-nix-store -q --references $test1 | grepQuiet $dep
+test1=$(nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test1)
+nix-store -q --references "$test1" | grepQuietInverse "$test1"
+nix-store -q --references "$test1" | grepQuiet "$dep"
 
 # test2 references src, not itself nor dep.
-test2=$(nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test2)
-nix-store -q --references $test2 | grepQuietInverse $test2
-nix-store -q --references $test2 | grepQuietInverse $dep
-nix-store -q --references $test2 | grepQuiet aux-ref
+test2=$(nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test2)
+nix-store -q --references "$test2" | grepQuietInverse "$test2"
+nix-store -q --references "$test2" | grepQuietInverse "$dep"
+nix-store -q --references "$test2" | grepQuiet aux-ref
 
 # test3 should fail (unallowed ref).
-(! nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test3)
+(! nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test3)
 
 # test4 should succeed.
-nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test4
+nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test4
 
 # test5 should succeed.
-nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test5
+nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test5
 
 # test6 should fail (unallowed self-ref).
-(! nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test6)
+(! nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test6)
 
 # test7 should succeed (allowed self-ref).
-nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test7
+nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test7
 
 # test8 should fail (toFile depending on derivation output).
-(! nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test8)
+(! nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test8)
 
 # test9 should fail (disallowed reference).
-(! nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test9)
+(! nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test9)
 
 # test10 should succeed (no disallowed references).
-nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test10
+nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test10
 
 if isDaemonNewer 2.12pre20230103; then
     if ! isDaemonNewer 2.16.0; then
@@ -50,6 +50,6 @@ if isDaemonNewer 2.12pre20230103; then
     fi
 
     # test11 should succeed.
-    test11=$(nix-build -o $RESULT check-refs.nix -A test11)
+    test11=$(nix-build -o "$RESULT" check-refs.nix -A test11)
     [[ -z $(nix-store -q --references "$test11") ]]
 fi