diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 913a4336f..827d5a87f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,21 +78,21 @@ From [`./examples/lighttpd.sh`](examples/lighttpd.sh):
 $ cat > lighttpd.sh <<"EOF"
 #!/bin/bash -x
 
-ctr1=`buildah from ${1:-fedora}`
+ctr1=$(buildah from "${1:-fedora}")
 
 ## Get all updates and install our minimal httpd server
-buildah run $ctr1 -- dnf update -y
-buildah run $ctr1 -- dnf install -y lighttpd
+buildah run "$ctr1" -- dnf update -y
+buildah run "$ctr1" -- dnf install -y lighttpd
 
 ## Include some buildtime annotations
-buildah config --annotation "com.example.build.host=$(uname -n)" $ctr1
+buildah config --annotation "com.example.build.host=$(uname -n)" "$ctr1"
 
 ## Run our server and expose the port
-buildah config --cmd "/usr/sbin/lighttpd -D -f /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf" $ctr1
-buildah config --port 80 $ctr1
+buildah config --cmd "/usr/sbin/lighttpd -D -f /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf" "$ctr1"
+buildah config --port 80 "$ctr1"
 
 ## Commit this container to an image name
-buildah commit $ctr1 ${2:-$USER/lighttpd}
+buildah commit "$ctr1" "${2:-$USER/lighttpd}"
 EOF
 
 $ chmod +x lighttpd.sh
diff --git a/examples/lighttpd.sh b/examples/lighttpd.sh
index e1517c217..a62bf0e5a 100755
--- a/examples/lighttpd.sh
+++ b/examples/lighttpd.sh
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 #!/bin/bash -x
 
-ctr1=`buildah from ${1:-fedora}`
+ctr1=$(buildah from "${1:-fedora}")
 
 ## Get all updates and install our minimal httpd server
-buildah run $ctr1 -- dnf update -y
-buildah run $ctr1 -- dnf install -y lighttpd
+buildah run "$ctr1" -- dnf update -y
+buildah run "$ctr1" -- dnf install -y lighttpd
 
 ## Include some buildtime annotations
-buildah config --annotation "com.example.build.host=$(uname -n)" $ctr1
+buildah config --annotation "com.example.build.host=$(uname -n)" "$ctr1"
 
 ## Run our server and expose the port
-buildah config --cmd "/usr/sbin/lighttpd -D -f /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf" $ctr1
-buildah config --port 80 $ctr1
+buildah config --cmd "/usr/sbin/lighttpd -D -f /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf" "$ctr1"
+buildah config --port 80 "$ctr1"
 
 ## Commit this container to an image name
-buildah commit $ctr1 ${2:-$USER/lighttpd}
+buildah commit "$ctr1" "${2:-$USER/lighttpd}"