diff --git a/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake b/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake
index 29bedb4f4..0c784786f 100644
--- a/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake
+++ b/code/CMakeModules/nel.cmake
@@ -623,15 +623,15 @@ ENDMACRO(NL_SETUP_BUILD_FLAGS)
 
 # Macro to create x_ABSOLUTE_PREFIX from x_PREFIX
 MACRO(NL_MAKE_ABSOLUTE_PREFIX NAME_RELATIVE NAME_ABSOLUTE)
-  IF(IS_ABSOLUTE ${NAME_RELATIVE})
-    SET(${NAME_ABSOLUTE} ${NAME_RELATIVE})
-  ELSE(IS_ABSOLUTE ${NAME_RELATIVE})
+  IF(IS_ABSOLUTE "${${NAME_RELATIVE}}")
+    SET(${NAME_ABSOLUTE} ${${NAME_RELATIVE}})
+  ELSE(IS_ABSOLUTE "${${{NAME_RELATIVE}}")
     IF(WIN32)
       SET(${NAME_ABSOLUTE} ${${NAME_RELATIVE}})
     ELSE(WIN32)
       SET(${NAME_ABSOLUTE} ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${${NAME_RELATIVE}})
     ENDIF(WIN32)
-  ENDIF(IS_ABSOLUTE ${NAME_RELATIVE})
+  ENDIF(IS_ABSOLUTE "${${NAME_RELATIVE}}")
 ENDMACRO(NL_MAKE_ABSOLUTE_PREFIX)
 
 MACRO(NL_SETUP_PREFIX_PATHS)