diff --git a/pre_commit/commands/install_uninstall.py b/pre_commit/commands/install_uninstall.py
index 6d9d14d8..01aad52d 100644
--- a/pre_commit/commands/install_uninstall.py
+++ b/pre_commit/commands/install_uninstall.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import io
 import os.path
+import pipes
 import sys
 
 from pre_commit import output
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ def install(
 
         skip_on_missing_conf = 'true' if skip_on_missing_conf else 'false'
         contents = io.open(resource_filename('hook-tmpl')).read().format(
-            sys_executable=sys.executable,
+            sys_executable=pipes.quote(sys.executable),
             hook_type=hook_type,
             hook_specific=hook_specific_contents,
             config_file=runner.config_file,
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/hook-tmpl b/pre_commit/resources/hook-tmpl
index 3a10e90c..149bb768 100644
--- a/pre_commit/resources/hook-tmpl
+++ b/pre_commit/resources/hook-tmpl
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ popd > /dev/null
 retv=0
 args=""
 
-ENV_PYTHON='{sys_executable}'
+ENV_PYTHON={sys_executable}
 SKIP_ON_MISSING_CONF={skip_on_missing_conf}
 
 which pre-commit >& /dev/null
diff --git a/tests/commands/install_uninstall_test.py b/tests/commands/install_uninstall_test.py
index 80e249be..2ba5ce36 100644
--- a/tests/commands/install_uninstall_test.py
+++ b/tests/commands/install_uninstall_test.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import io
 import os.path
+import pipes
 import re
 import shutil
 import subprocess
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ def test_install_pre_commit(tempdir_factory):
     pre_commit_contents = io.open(runner.pre_commit_path).read()
     pre_commit_script = resource_filename('hook-tmpl')
     expected_contents = io.open(pre_commit_script).read().format(
-        sys_executable=sys.executable,
+        sys_executable=pipes.quote(sys.executable),
         hook_type='pre-commit',
         hook_specific='',
         config_file=runner.config_file,
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ def test_install_pre_commit(tempdir_factory):
     pre_push_tmpl = resource_filename('pre-push-tmpl')
     pre_push_template_contents = io.open(pre_push_tmpl).read()
     expected_contents = io.open(pre_commit_script).read().format(
-        sys_executable=sys.executable,
+        sys_executable=pipes.quote(sys.executable),
         hook_type='pre-push',
         hook_specific=pre_push_template_contents,
         config_file=runner.config_file,