diff --git a/django/bin/compile-messages.py b/django/bin/compile-messages.py
index 0b5127f6b2..30a92737d8 100755
--- a/django/bin/compile-messages.py
+++ b/django/bin/compile-messages.py
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@ for (dirpath, dirnames, filenames) in os.walk(basedir):
         if file.endswith('.po'):
             sys.stderr.write('processing file %s in %s\n' % (file, dirpath))
             pf = os.path.splitext(os.path.join(dirpath, file))[0]
-            cmd = 'msgfmt -o %s.mo %s.po' % (pf, pf)
+            cmd = 'msgfmt -o "%s.mo" "%s.po"' % (pf, pf)
             os.system(cmd)
 
diff --git a/django/bin/make-messages.py b/django/bin/make-messages.py
index e8c21db70f..bb43ca2f9b 100755
--- a/django/bin/make-messages.py
+++ b/django/bin/make-messages.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ for lang in languages:
                     os.unlink(os.path.join(dirpath, thefile))
 
     if os.path.exists(potfile):
-        (stdin, stdout, stderr) = os.popen3('msguniq %s' % potfile, 'b')
+        (stdin, stdout, stderr) = os.popen3('msguniq "%s"' % potfile, 'b')
         msgs = stdout.read()
         errors = stderr.read()
         if errors:
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ for lang in languages:
             sys.exit(8)
         open(potfile, 'w').write(msgs)
         if os.path.exists(pofile):
-            (stdin, stdout, stderr) = os.popen3('msgmerge -q %s %s' % (pofile, potfile), 'b')
+            (stdin, stdout, stderr) = os.popen3('msgmerge -q "%s" "%s"' % (pofile, potfile), 'b')
             msgs = stdout.read()
             errors = stderr.read()
             if errors: