diff --git a/workflow/rna-seq.nf b/workflow/rna-seq.nf
index 5d43d87c0b187addbb530073896ca836cff22a4b..ad2a7ba494d536a32f872930c59950804e42aa7c 100644
--- a/workflow/rna-seq.nf
+++ b/workflow/rna-seq.nf
@@ -2012,7 +2012,7 @@ process aggrQC {
     then
       input=\$(echo "Inferred\t${speciesI}\t")
     else
-      input=\${echo "Inferred\t${speciesI} (FORCED)\t")
+      input=\$(echo "Inferred\t${speciesI} (FORCED)\t")
     fi
     input=\$(echo \${input}"${endsI}\t")
     if [ "${params.strandedForce}" == "" ]