diff --git a/workflow/rna-seq.nf b/workflow/rna-seq.nf
index 42030a1ce2f38803a89467c1b3b4a95e5152d270..7246fdf7fa9bf6ead553325034d16b2ce4056c5e 100644
--- a/workflow/rna-seq.nf
+++ b/workflow/rna-seq.nf
@@ -2010,22 +2010,22 @@ process aggrQC {
     echo -e "Submitter\t${speciesM}\t${endsM}\t${strandedM}\t${spikeM}\t-\t-\t'${readLengthM}'\t-" >> metadata.tsv
     if [ "${params.speciesForce}" == "" ]
     then
-      input=\$(echo "Inferred\t${speciesI}\t)
+      input=\$(echo "Inferred\t${speciesI}\t")
     else
-      input=\${echo "Inferred\t${speciesI} (FORCED)\t)
+      input=\${echo "Inferred\t${speciesI} (FORCED)\t")
     fi
-    input=\$(echo \${input}${endsI}\t)
+    input=\$(echo "\${input}${endsI}\t")
     if [ "${params.strandedForce}" == "" ]
     then
-      input=\$(echo \${input}${strandedI}\t)
+      input=\$(echo "\${input}${strandedI}\t")
     else
-      input=$(echo \${input}${strandedI} (FORCED)\t)
+      input=$(echo "\${input}${strandedI} (FORCED)\t")
     fi
     if [ "${params.spikeForce}" == "" ]
     then
-      input=$(echo \${input}${spikeI}\t-\t-\t-\t-)
+      input=$(echo "\${input}${spikeI}\t-\t-\t-\t-"")
     else
-      input=$(echo \${input}${spikeI} (FORCED)\t-\t-\t-\t-" >> metadata.tsv
+      input=$(echo "\${input}${spikeI} (FORCED)\t-\t-\t-\t-" >> metadata.tsv
     fi
     echo -e \${input} >> metadata.tsv
     echo -e "Measured\t-\t${endsManual}\t-\t-\t'${rawReadsI}'\t'${assignedReadsI}'\t'${readLengthI}'\t'${tinMedI}'" >> metadata.tsv