diff --git a/t/lib-cvs.sh b/t/lib-cvs.sh
index 5076718916..9b2bcfb1b0 100644
--- a/t/lib-cvs.sh
+++ b/t/lib-cvs.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ fi
 CVS="cvs -f"
 export CVS
 
-cvsps_version=`cvsps -h 2>&1 | sed -ne 's/cvsps version //p'`
+cvsps_version=$(cvsps -h 2>&1 | sed -ne 's/cvsps version //p')
 case "$cvsps_version" in
 2.1 | 2.2*)
 	;;