diff --git a/GIT-VERSION-GEN b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
index e40a09b6fd..c2767b4136 100755
--- a/GIT-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ esac
 
 if test -r "$OUTPUT"
 then
-	VC=$(sed -e 's/^GITGUI_VERSION = //' <"$OUTPUT")
+	VC=$(sed -e 's/^GITGUI_VERSION=//' <"$OUTPUT")
 else
 	VC=unset
 fi
 test "$VN" = "$VC" || {
-	echo >&2 "GITGUI_VERSION = $VN"
-	echo "GITGUI_VERSION = $VN" >"$OUTPUT"
+	echo >&2 "GITGUI_VERSION=$VN"
+	echo "GITGUI_VERSION=$VN" >"$OUTPUT"
 }