diff --git a/rules.mak b/rules.mak
index 04c7f74d07..bbb2667928 100644
--- a/rules.mak
+++ b/rules.mak
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 
+# These are used when we want to do substitutions without confusing Make
+NULL  :=
+SPACE := $(NULL) #
 COMMA := ,
 
 # Don't use implicit rules or variables
diff --git a/tests/docker/Makefile.include b/tests/docker/Makefile.include
index 31f21a43f5..9d5749887a 100644
--- a/tests/docker/Makefile.include
+++ b/tests/docker/Makefile.include
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ docker-run: docker-qemu-src
 			$(if $V,,--rm) 					\
 			$(if $(DEBUG),-ti,)				\
 			$(if $(NETWORK),$(if $(subst $(NETWORK),,1),--net=$(NETWORK)),--net=none) \
-			-e TARGET_LIST=$(TARGET_LIST) 			\
+			-e TARGET_LIST=$(subst $(SPACE),$(COMMA),$(TARGET_LIST))	\
 			-e EXTRA_CONFIGURE_OPTS="$(EXTRA_CONFIGURE_OPTS)" \
 			-e V=$V -e J=$J -e DEBUG=$(DEBUG)		\
 			-e SHOW_ENV=$(SHOW_ENV) 			\