diff --git a/git-quiltimport.sh b/git-quiltimport.sh
index e3d3909743..eb34cda409 100755
--- a/git-quiltimport.sh
+++ b/git-quiltimport.sh
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ do
 	if [ -z "$dry_run" ] ; then
 		git apply --index -C1 ${level:+"$level"} "$tmp_patch" &&
 		tree=$(git write-tree) &&
-		commit=$( (echo "$SUBJECT"; echo; cat "$tmp_msg") | git commit-tree $tree -p $commit) &&
+		commit=$( { echo "$SUBJECT"; echo; cat "$tmp_msg"; } | git commit-tree $tree -p $commit) &&
 		git update-ref -m "quiltimport: $patch_name" HEAD $commit || exit 4
 	fi
 done 3<"$QUILT_SERIES"