diff --git a/lib/img-defaults b/lib/img-defaults
index da26db024..70177b3b2 100644
--- a/lib/img-defaults
+++ b/lib/img-defaults
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-image}
 export IMAGE_SIZE=${IMAGE_SIZE:-2} # N.B. This size is in GB
 # Set via the CLI normally.
 # IMAGE_ELEMENT=
-export ELEMENTS_PATH=${ELEMENTS_PATH:-(dirname $0)/../elements}
+export ELEMENTS_PATH=${ELEMENTS_PATH:-$(dirname $0)/../elements}
diff --git a/lib/ramdisk-defaults b/lib/ramdisk-defaults
index 6c980c08d..c611b486b 100644
--- a/lib/ramdisk-defaults
+++ b/lib/ramdisk-defaults
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ MODULE_ROOT=${MODULE_ROOT:-""}
 LIB_UDEV_ROOT=${LIB_UDEV_ROOT:-""}
 BUSYBOX=${BUSYBOX:-$(which busybox)}
 IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME:-"ramdisk"}
-export ELEMENTS_PATH=${ELEMENTS_PATH:-(dirname $0)/../elements}
+export ELEMENTS_PATH=${ELEMENTS_PATH:-$(dirname $0)/../elements}