diff --git a/CI/ci-linux.sh b/CI/ci-linux.sh
index 39fe47a6..fe75b847 100755
--- a/CI/ci-linux.sh
+++ b/CI/ci-linux.sh
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ MAKE_OPTIONS=""
 BUILDPATH=""
 
 # set GTEST path
-OPTIONS = "$OPTIONS -DGTEST_ROOT=~/sw/gtest-1.8.0/"
+OPTIONS="-DGTEST_ROOT=~/sw/gtest-1.8.0/"
 
 if [ "$COMPILER" == "gcc" ]; then
   echo "Building with GCC";
   BUILDPATH="gcc"
 
   # without icecc: no options required
-  OPTIONS="-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/usr/lib/icecc/bin/g++ -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=/usr/lib/icecc/bin/gcc"
+  OPTIONS="$OPTIONS -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=/usr/lib/icecc/bin/g++ -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=/usr/lib/icecc/bin/gcc"
   MAKE_OPTIONS="-j16"
   export ICECC_CXX=/usr/bin/g++ ; export ICECC_CC=/usr/bin/gcc
 
diff --git a/CI/ci-mac.sh b/CI/ci-mac.sh
index b9b999c6..c3d454cd 100755
--- a/CI/ci-mac.sh
+++ b/CI/ci-mac.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export PATH
 OPTIONS=""
 
 # set GTEST path
-OPTIONS = "$OPTIONS -DGTEST_ROOT=~/sw/gtest-1.7.0/"
+OPTIONS="$OPTIONS -DGTEST_ROOT=~/sw/gtest-1.7.0/"
 
 if [ "$LANGUAGE" == "C++98" ]; then
   echo "Building with C++98";