diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index a208b2a..a45b71d 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -15137,7 +15137,8 @@
 #ifdef USE_ARGV
 	    argv[argc++] = (char *)s;
 #else
-	    if (li != l->lv_first)
+	    /* Only escape when needed, double quotes are not always allowed. */
+	    if (li != l->lv_first && vim_strpbrk(s, (char_u *)" \t\"") != NULL)
 	    {
 		s = vim_strsave_shellescape(s, FALSE, TRUE);
 		if (s == NULL)