diff --git a/po/Makefile b/po/Makefile
index e47e262ee66..c041f4c858e 100644
--- a/po/Makefile
+++ b/po/Makefile
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ clean:
 
 install: $(OBJS)
 	for obj in $(OBJS); do \
-	    base=`basename $$obj .mo`; \
+	    base=$$(basename $$obj .mo); \
 	    $(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$base/LC_MESSAGES; \
 	    $(INSTALL) -m644 $$obj $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/locale/$$base/LC_MESSAGES/qemu.mo; \
 	done