diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 421e919326..107f3c81e7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ endif
 
 include toolchain.inc
 
-strip_quotes = $(subst ",,$(subst \",,$(1)))
+strip_quotes = $(strip $(subst ",,$(subst \",,$(1))))
 
 # The primary target needs to be here before we include the
 # other files