diff --git a/src/option.c b/src/option.c
index 3d40814..75ff3cd 100644
--- a/src/option.c
+++ b/src/option.c
@@ -102,7 +102,26 @@
 	    || ((p = (char_u *)default_shell()) != NULL && *p != NUL)
 #endif
 	    )
+#if defined(MSWIN)
+    {
+	// For MS-Windows put the path in quotes instead of escaping spaces.
+	char_u	    *cmd;
+	size_t	    len;
+
+	if (vim_strchr(p, ' ') != NULL)
+	{
+	    len = STRLEN(p) + 3;  // two quotes and a trailing NUL
+	    cmd = alloc(len);
+	    vim_snprintf((char *)cmd, len, "\"%s\"", p);
+	    set_string_default("sh", cmd);
+	    vim_free(cmd);
+	}
+	else
+	    set_string_default("sh", p);
+    }
+#else
 	set_string_default_esc("sh", p, TRUE);
+#endif
 
 #ifdef FEAT_WILDIGN
     /*