diff --git a/gitk b/gitk
index e0eb3d0f8e..46f9a35ffa 100755
--- a/gitk
+++ b/gitk
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ proc start_rev_list {view} {
     set vnextroot($view) 0
     varcinit $view
 
-    set commits [exec git rev-parse --default HEAD --revs-only \
+    set commits [eval exec git rev-parse --default HEAD --revs-only \
 		     $viewargs($view)]
     set viewincl($view) {}
     foreach c $commits {