diff --git a/test/system/030-run.bats b/test/system/030-run.bats
index 5c4fdc44c4..a0cce8389e 100644
--- a/test/system/030-run.bats
+++ b/test/system/030-run.bats
@@ -1638,7 +1638,7 @@ search               | $IMAGE           |
            "$command --authfile=nonexistent-path"
 
         if [[ "$command" != "logout" ]]; then
-           REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE=$bogus run_podman ? $command $args
+           REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE=$bogus run_podman '?' $command $args
            assert "$output" !~ "credential file is not accessible" \
               "$command REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE=nonexistent-path"
 
diff --git a/test/system/130-kill.bats b/test/system/130-kill.bats
index 8a50ba2f53..28f2be9d5c 100644
--- a/test/system/130-kill.bats
+++ b/test/system/130-kill.bats
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ load helpers
     run_podman run --rm -d --name $cname $IMAGE top
     run_podman kill $cname
     is "$output" $cname
-    run_podman ? wait $cname
+    run_podman '?' wait $cname
 }
 
 # bats test_tags=ci:parallel