diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot
index a67fda1cf4..3059ce8476 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.build.chroot
@@ -42,18 +42,18 @@ cat debian/changelog >>debian/changelog.new
 mv debian/changelog.new debian/changelog
 
 build() {
-    DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS="\
+    DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS=$(awk '$1=$1' <<<"\
         $( ((WITH_TESTS)) || echo nocheck) \
         $( ((WITH_DOCS)) || echo nodoc) \
         $( ((WITH_DEBUG)) || echo nostrip) \
         terse \
         optimize=-lto \
-    " \
-    DEB_BUILD_PROFILES="\
+    ") \
+    DEB_BUILD_PROFILES=$(awk '$1=$1' <<<"\
         $( ((WITH_TESTS)) || echo nocheck) \
         $( ((WITH_DOCS)) || echo nodoc) \
         pkg.systemd.upstream \
-    " \
+    ") \
     DEB_CFLAGS_APPEND="-O${OPTIMIZATION:-0}" \
     DPKG_FORCE="unsafe-io" \
     DPKG_DEB_COMPRESSOR_TYPE="none" \