escape = $(subst ','\'',$(1)) test_var := Includes ' quote echo_test_var := printf '%s\n' '$(call escape,$(test_var))' bash_test_var := bash -c '$(call escape,$(echo_test_var))' test: printf '%s\n' '$(call escape,$(test_var))' bash -c '$(call escape,$(echo_test_var))' bash -c '$(call escape,$(bash_test_var))'