diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index e8a082d4d..d53111966 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ then
 else
     pkglock=''
 fi
-git commit package.json "$pkglock" -m "$tag"
+git commit package.json $pkglock -m "$tag"
 
 
 # figure out if we should be signing this release