diff --git a/pymbolic/interop/maxima.py b/pymbolic/interop/maxima.py
index 6ca16f3f0cf9e81dbb7eeb2bcfbc6bb830a3d1fa..1486ff7bf0083e6109175b2202ef140bbd0dcc52 100644
--- a/pymbolic/interop/maxima.py
+++ b/pymbolic/interop/maxima.py
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ class MaximaKernel:
         # }}}
 
         self.child.sendline(" ".join(
-                [self.executable, "--disable-readline", "-q"]))
+                ['"' + self.executable + '"', "--disable-readline", "-q"]))
 
         self.current_prompt = 0
         self._expect_prompt(IN_PROMPT_RE)