diff --git a/bump_packaging b/bump_packaging
index f9634d2..3ea8f64 100755
--- a/bump_packaging
+++ b/bump_packaging
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ if [[ $FLAVOR == deb ]] ; then
 else
 	if [[ $FULLVERSION == *-rc* ]]; then
 		PRERELEASE=${FULLVERSION##*-}
-		obal update --version "${FULLVERSION%%-rc*}" --prerelease "${PRERELEASE}" --release keep $RPM_PACKAGES
+		obal update --version "${FULLVERSION%%-rc*}" --prerelease "${PRERELEASE}" --release keep "${RPM_PACKAGES[@]}"
 	else
-		obal update --version "${FULLVERSION}" $RPM_PACKAGES
+		obal update --version "${FULLVERSION}" "${RPM_PACKAGES[@]}"
 	fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/releases/foreman/1.19/settings b/releases/foreman/1.19/settings
index fda3bbb..091b478 100644
--- a/releases/foreman/1.19/settings
+++ b/releases/foreman/1.19/settings
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 FULLGPGKEY="CE3159AAC3EC09E51614775446020A10694FA479"
 FULLVERSION="1.19.1"
-RPM_PACKAGES=foreman foreman-installer foreman-proxy foreman-selinux
+RPM_PACKAGES=(foreman foreman-installer foreman-proxy foreman-selinux)
 OSES="rhel7"
diff --git a/releases/foreman/settings b/releases/foreman/settings
index f4f46be..19c377f 100644
--- a/releases/foreman/settings
+++ b/releases/foreman/settings
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 TAR_PROJECTS="foreman foreman-proxy foreman-installer foreman-selinux"
-RPM_PACKAGES="foreman foreman-installer foreman-proxy foreman-release foreman-selinux"
+RPM_PACKAGES=(foreman foreman-installer foreman-proxy foreman-release foreman-selinux)
 KOJI_TAGS="foreman-@VERSION@-@OS@"
 PACKAGING_SUBDIR="packages/foreman"
 OSES="el8"
diff --git a/releases/katello/settings b/releases/katello/settings
index 16db4db..9f8a3db 100644
--- a/releases/katello/settings
+++ b/releases/katello/settings
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-RPM_PACKAGES="katello katello-repos rubygem-katello"
+RPM_PACKAGES=(katello katello-repos rubygem-katello)
 KOJI_TAGS="katello-@VERSION@-@OS@ katello-@VERSION@-thirdparty-candlepin-@OS@"
 PACKAGING_SUBDIR="packages/katello"
 
diff --git a/settings b/settings
index 45fb25b..514b0d7 100644
--- a/settings
+++ b/settings
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ GITHUB_NAMESPACE=theforeman
 PACKAGING_DIR="$GIT_DIR/foreman-packaging"
 PACKAGING_GIT_REMOTE=origin
 TAR_PROJECTS=""
-RPM_PACKAGES=""
+RPM_PACKAGES=()
 KOJI_CMD="${KOJI_CMD:-koji}"
 KOJI_TAGS=""
 KOJI_SSH_TARGET="root@koji.katello.org"