diff --git a/src/ejabberdctl.template b/src/ejabberdctl.template
index 11dd3037a..8ffdf9251 100644
--- a/src/ejabberdctl.template
+++ b/src/ejabberdctl.template
@@ -328,13 +328,21 @@ ctlexec ()
 {
     CONN_NAME=$1; shift
     COMMAND=$@
-    $EXEC_CMD "$ERL \
+
+    CTLEXEC="$ERL \
       $NAME ${CONN_NAME} \
       -noinput \
       -hidden \
       -pa $EJABBERD_EBIN_PATH \
       $KERNEL_OPTS \
-      -s ejabberd_ctl -extra $ERLANG_NODE $COMMAND"
+      -s ejabberd_ctl -extra $ERLANG_NODE"
+
+    # quote input from the command line
+    for i in $COMMAND; do
+	CTLEXEC="$CTLEXEC '$i'";
+    done
+
+    $EXEC_CMD "$CTLEXEC"
 }
 
 # display ctl usage