diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 7a35d9dca..87f2fde54 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ matrix:
         - CMD1=" && git clone https://github.com/checkstyle/contribution && cd contribution/releasenotes-xdoc-builder "
         - CMD2=" && mvn clean compile package "
         - CMD3=" && cd ../../ && git clone https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle && cd checkstyle "
-        - CMD4=" && LATEST_RELEASE_TAG=$(git describe $(git rev-list --tags --max-count=1)) && cd ../"
+        - CMD4=" && LATEST_RELEASE_TAG=\$(git describe \$(git rev-list --tags --max-count=1)) && cd ../"
         - CMD5=" && CS_RELEASE_VERSION=$(mvn -q -Dexec.executable='echo' -Dexec.args='${project.version}' --non-recursive org.codehaus.mojo:exec-maven-plugin:1.3.1:exec | sed 's/-SNAPSHOT//' ) "
         - CMD6=" && java -jar contribution/releasenotes-xdoc-builder/target/releasenotes-xdoc-builder-1.0-all.jar "
         - CMD7="        -localRepoPath . -startRef \$LATEST_RELEASE_TAG -releaseNumber \$CS_RELEASE_VERSION -authToken $GITHUB_AUTH_TOKEN"