diff --git a/modules/lib/zsh.nix b/modules/lib/zsh.nix
index 651dfada4..d008ca475 100644
--- a/modules/lib/zsh.nix
+++ b/modules/lib/zsh.nix
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ rec {
     if builtins.isBool v then
       if v then "true" else "false"
     else if builtins.isString v then
-      ''"${v}"''
+      lib.escapeShellArg v
     else if builtins.isList v then
-      "(${lib.concatStringsSep " " (map toZshValue v)})"
+      let
+        shell = import ./shell.nix { inherit lib; };
+      in
+      "(${shell.formatShellArrayContent (map toString v)})"
     else
       ''"${toString v}"'';
 
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/prezto.nix b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/prezto.nix
index 9a22f6f65..9605218f7 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/prezto.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/prezto.nix
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@
     assertFileContains home-files/.zshenv \
       '. "/home/hm-user/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/hm-session-vars.sh"'
     assertFileContains home-files/.zshenv \
-      'export FOO="bar"'
+      'export FOO=bar'
   '';
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix
index 0aa20c8c2..0c5ff6b6b 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
   nmt.script = ''
     assertFileExists home-files/.zshenv
-    assertFileRegex home-files/.zshenv 'export V1="v1"'
-    assertFileRegex home-files/.zshenv 'export V2="v2-v1"'
+    assertFileRegex home-files/.zshenv 'export V1=v1'
+    assertFileRegex home-files/.zshenv 'export V2=v2-v1'
   '';
 }