diff --git a/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v b/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v
index 77c46ffaf7..39bef726f0 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vtest-all.v
@@ -210,8 +210,9 @@ fn get_all_commands() []Command {
 		rmfile: 'examples/tetris/tetris'
 	}
 	$if macos || linux {
+		ipath := '$vroot/thirdparty/stdatomic/nix'
 		res << Command{
-			line: '$vexe -o v.c cmd/v && cc -Werror -I "$vroot/thirdparty/stdatomic/nix" v.c -lpthread -lm && rm -rf a.out'
+			line: '$vexe -o v.c cmd/v && cc -Werror -I ${os.quoted_path(ipath)} v.c -lpthread -lm && rm -rf a.out'
 			label: 'v.c should be buildable with no warnings...'
 			okmsg: 'v.c can be compiled without warnings. This is good :)'
 			rmfile: 'v.c'
diff --git a/vlib/gg/draw_fns_api_test.v b/vlib/gg/draw_fns_api_test.v
index e8c576e1a0..bde10a1deb 100644
--- a/vlib/gg/draw_fns_api_test.v
+++ b/vlib/gg/draw_fns_api_test.v
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ fn test_all_samples_can_be_compiled() {
 	samples := os.walk_ext('$vroot/vlib/gg/testdata', '.vv')
 	mut fails := []string{}
 	for program_source in samples {
-		compile_cmd := '"$vexe" "$program_source"'
+		compile_cmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexe)} ${os.quoted_path(program_source)}'
 		res := os.execute(compile_cmd)
 		if res.exit_code != 0 {
 			eprintln('>>> FAIL $compile_cmd')
diff --git a/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v b/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v
index 120babf888..999e1cc30f 100644
--- a/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/compiler_errors_test.v
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ fn (mut task TaskDescription) execute() {
 		return
 	}
 	program := task.path
-	cli_cmd := '$task.vexe $task.voptions $program'
+	cli_cmd := '${os.quoted_path(task.vexe)} $task.voptions ${os.quoted_path(program)}'
 	res := os.execute(cli_cmd)
 	expected_out_path := program.replace('.vv', '') + task.result_extension
 	task.expected_out_path = expected_out_path
diff --git a/vlib/v/eval/interpret_test.v b/vlib/v/eval/interpret_test.v
index 7a2a635405..6dbea784ff 100644
--- a/vlib/v/eval/interpret_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/eval/interpret_test.v
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ fn test_interpret() ? {
 		full_test_path := os.real_path(os.join_path(dir, test))
 		test_file_name := os.file_name(test)
 		relative_test_path := full_test_path.replace(vroot + '/', '')
-		cmd := '"$vexe" interpret "$full_test_path"'
+		cmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexe)} interpret ${os.quoted_path(full_test_path)}'
 		if is_verbose {
 			println(cmd)
 		}
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/tests/native_test.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/tests/native_test.v
index 9ff8998368..4b840b3152 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/tests/native_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/tests/native_test.v
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ fn test_native() {
 		relative_test_path := full_test_path.replace(vroot + '/', '')
 		work_test_path := '$wrkdir/$test_file_name'
 		exe_test_path := '$wrkdir/${test_file_name}.exe'
-		cmd := '"$vexe" -o "$exe_test_path" -b native "$full_test_path"'
+		cmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexe)} -o ${os.quoted_path(exe_test_path)} -b native ${os.quoted_path(full_test_path)}'
 		if is_verbose {
 			println(cmd)
 		}
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ fn test_native() {
 			continue
 		}
 		tmperrfile := '$dir/${test}.tmperr'
-		res := os.execute('$exe_test_path 2> $tmperrfile')
+		res := os.execute('${os.quoted_path(exe_test_path)} 2> ${os.quoted_path(tmperrfile)}')
 		if res.exit_code != 0 {
 			bench.fail()
 			eprintln(bench.step_message_fail('$full_test_path failed to run'))
diff --git a/vlib/v/live/executable/reloader.v b/vlib/v/live/executable/reloader.v
index 960f543993..1b7c8d0f7a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/live/executable/reloader.v
+++ b/vlib/v/live/executable/reloader.v
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fn compile_and_reload_shared_lib(mut r live.LiveReloadInfo) ?bool {
 
 fn compile_lib(mut r live.LiveReloadInfo) ?string {
 	new_lib_path, new_lib_path_with_extension := current_shared_library_path(mut r)
-	cmd := '$r.vexe $r.vopts -o $new_lib_path $r.original'
+	cmd := '${os.quoted_path(r.vexe)} $r.vopts -o ${os.quoted_path(new_lib_path)} ${os.quoted_path(r.original)}'
 	elog(r, '>       compilation cmd: $cmd')
 	cwatch := time.new_stopwatch()
 	recompilation_result := os.execute(cmd)
diff --git a/vlib/v/pref/pref.v b/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
index de35a05734..d0d57cbd68 100644
--- a/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
+++ b/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ pub fn parse_args_and_show_errors(known_external_commands []string, args []strin
 			mut output_option := ''
 			if tmp_exe_file_path == '' {
 				tmp_exe_file_path = '${tmp_file_path}.exe'
-				output_option = '-o "$tmp_exe_file_path"'
+				output_option = '-o ${os.quoted_path(tmp_exe_file_path)} '
 			}
 			tmp_v_file_path := '${tmp_file_path}.v'
 			contents := os.get_raw_lines_joined()
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ pub fn parse_args_and_show_errors(known_external_commands []string, args []strin
 			run_options := cmdline.options_before(args, ['run']).join(' ')
 			command_options := cmdline.options_after(args, ['run'])[1..].join(' ')
 			vexe := vexe_path()
-			tmp_cmd := '"$vexe" $output_option $run_options run "$tmp_v_file_path" $command_options'
+			tmp_cmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexe)} $output_option $run_options run ${os.quoted_path(tmp_v_file_path)} $command_options'
 			//
 			res.vrun_elog('tmp_cmd: $tmp_cmd')
 			tmp_result := os.system(tmp_cmd)
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/projects_that_should_compile_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/projects_that_should_compile_test.v
index ecfe801c40..fe6a2eb43e 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/projects_that_should_compile_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/projects_that_should_compile_test.v
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ fn vroot_path(relpath string) string {
 }
 
 fn vrun_ok(options string, path string) string {
-	cmd := '${@VEXE} $options $path'
+	cmd := '${os.quoted_path(@VEXE)} $options ${os.quoted_path(path)}'
 	res := os.execute(cmd)
 	if res.exit_code != 0 {
 		eprintln('> failing vrun cmd: $cmd')
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/repl/repl_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/repl/repl_test.v
index 5b63532c8e..830de4cabe 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/repl/repl_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/repl/repl_test.v
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ fn test_the_v_compiler_can_be_invoked() {
 	vexec := runner.full_path_to_v(5)
 	println('vexecutable: $vexec')
 	assert vexec != ''
-	vcmd := '"$vexec" -version'
+	vcmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexec)} -version'
 	r := os.execute_or_exit(vcmd)
 	assert r.exit_code == 0
 	// println('"$vcmd" exit_code: $r.exit_code | output: $r.output')
-	vcmd_error := '"$vexec" nonexisting.v'
+	vcmd_error := '${os.quoted_path(vexec)} nonexisting.v'
 	r_error := os.execute(vcmd_error)
 	if r_error.exit_code < 0 {
 		panic(r_error.output)
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v b/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v
index f5f53667a9..9a4833cf77 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/repl/runner/runner.v
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ pub fn run_repl_file(wd string, vexec string, file string) ?string {
 	input_temporary_filename := os.real_path(os.join_path(wd, 'input_temporary_filename.txt'))
 	os.write_file(input_temporary_filename, input) or { panic(err) }
 	os.write_file(os.real_path(os.join_path(wd, 'original.txt')), fcontent) or { panic(err) }
-	rcmd := '"$vexec" repl -replfolder "$wd" -replprefix "${fname}." < $input_temporary_filename'
+	rcmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexec)} repl -replfolder ${os.quoted_path(wd)} -replprefix "${fname}." < ${os.quoted_path(input_temporary_filename)}'
 	r := os.execute(rcmd)
 	if r.exit_code < 0 {
 		os.rm(input_temporary_filename) ?
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ pub fn run_prod_file(wd string, vexec string, file string) ?string {
 		return error('Could not read expected prod file $file_expected')
 	}
 	expected_content := f_expected_content.replace('\r', '')
-	cmd := '"$vexec" -prod run "$file"'
+	cmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexec)} -prod run ${os.quoted_path(file)}'
 	r := os.execute(cmd)
 	if r.exit_code < 0 {
 		return error('Could not execute: $cmd')
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/run_v_code_from_stdin_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/run_v_code_from_stdin_test.v
index 31de20250e..174bafb0b2 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/run_v_code_from_stdin_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/run_v_code_from_stdin_test.v
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ fn pipe_to_v_run() ? {
 	// eprintln('>>> tmp_v_file: $tmp_v_file')
 	os.write_file(tmp_v_file, 'println(1 + 3)\nprintln("hello")\n') ?
 	assert os.is_file(tmp_v_file)
-	cmd := '$cat_cmd "$tmp_v_file" | "$vexe" run -'
+	cmd := '$cat_cmd ${os.quoted_path(tmp_v_file)} | ${os.quoted_path(vexe)} run -'
 	res := os.execute(cmd)
 	// eprintln('>> cmd: $cmd | res: $res')
 	assert res.exit_code == 0
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v
index 036362d9c5..51b6ab7b46 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ fn test_all() {
 		base_filename := os.file_name(test).replace('.v', '')
 		exe_filename := '$wrkdir/$base_filename'
 		full_path_to_source_file := os.join_path(vroot, test)
-		compile_cmd := '"$vexe" -o "$exe_filename" -cg -cflags "-w" -experimental -autofree "$full_path_to_source_file"'
+		compile_cmd := '${os.quoted_path(vexe)} -o ${os.quoted_path(exe_filename)} -cg -cflags "-w" -experimental -autofree ${os.quoted_path(full_path_to_source_file)}'
 		vprintln('compile cmd: ${bold(compile_cmd)}')
 		res := os.execute(compile_cmd)
 		if res.exit_code != 0 {
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fn test_all() {
 				continue
 			}
 		}
-		valgrind_cmd := 'valgrind --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=full "$exe_filename"'
+		valgrind_cmd := 'valgrind --error-exitcode=1 --leak-check=full ${os.quoted_path(exe_filename)}'
 		vprintln('valgrind cmd: ${bold(valgrind_cmd)}')
 		valgrind_res := os.execute(valgrind_cmd)
 		if valgrind_res.exit_code != 0 {
diff --git a/vlib/v/util/util.v b/vlib/v/util/util.v
index 68972033f0..b6a74c8c68 100644
--- a/vlib/v/util/util.v
+++ b/vlib/v/util/util.v
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ pub fn launch_tool(is_verbose bool, tool_name string, args []string) {
 		exit(os.system('${os.quoted_path(tool_exe)} $tool_args'))
 	} $else $if js {
 		// no way to implement os.execvp in JS backend
-		exit(os.system('${os.quote_path(tool_exe)} $tool_args'))
+		exit(os.system('$tool_exe $tool_args'))
 	} $else {
 		os.execvp(tool_exe, args) or { panic(err) }
 	}