diff --git a/t/lib-httpd.sh b/t/lib-httpd.sh
index e9714467d..f9f3e5fd8 100644
--- a/t/lib-httpd.sh
+++ b/t/lib-httpd.sh
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ then
 	test_skip_or_die $GIT_TEST_HTTPD "no web server found at '$LIB_HTTPD_PATH'"
 fi
 
-HTTPD_VERSION=`$LIB_HTTPD_PATH -v | \
-	sed -n 's/^Server version: Apache\/\([0-9]*\)\..*$/\1/p; q'`
+HTTPD_VERSION=$($LIB_HTTPD_PATH -v | \
+	sed -n 's/^Server version: Apache\/\([0-9]*\)\..*$/\1/p; q')
 
 if test -n "$HTTPD_VERSION"
 then