diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a1f7201baa1484477f32d754c83baf385e484c9a..3a71b803b5ef434923f6de4f86675bdb46cbc357 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ endif
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 
 conf_data = configuration_data()
-conf_data.set('VERSION', version)
+conf_data.set_quoted('VERSION', version)
 
 configure_file(
   input : 'config.h.in',