diff --git a/pasp-mode.el b/pasp-mode.el
index 7f83645..5daf08e 100644
--- a/pasp-mode.el
+++ b/pasp-mode.el
@@ -199,9 +199,12 @@
 Argument ENCODING The current buffer which holds the problem encoding.
 Optional argument INSTANCE The problem instance which is solved by the encoding.
   If no instance it is assumed to be also in the encoding file."
-  (if 'instance
-      (concat pasp-clingo-path " " pasp-clingo-options " " encoding " " instance)
-    (concat pasp-clingo-path " " pasp-clingo-options " " encoding)))
+  (if instance
+      (concat pasp-clingo-path " " pasp-clingo-options " "
+              (shell-quote-argument encoding) " "
+              (shell-quote-argument instance))
+    (concat pasp-clingo-path " " pasp-clingo-options " "
+            (shell-quote-argument encoding))))
 
 (defun pasp-run-clingo (encoding &optional instance)
   "Run Clingo with some ASP input files.