diff --git a/plugins/Makefile b/plugins/Makefile
index 9131836c77..962732a596 100644
--- a/plugins/Makefile
+++ b/plugins/Makefile
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@ publish_all_plugins:
 all_requirements:
 	./run_all_plugins.sh pip-compile requirements.in --upgrade --verbose
 
-PLACEHOLDER := "__version__\ =\ \"0.0.0+develop\""
-VERSION_FILE := "setup.py"
+PLACEHOLDER := __version__ = \"0.0.0+develop\"
+VERSION_FILE := setup.py
 
 .PHONY: update_all_versions
 update_all_versions:
 	# ensure the placeholder is there. If grep doesn't find the placeholder
 	# it exits with exit code 1 and github actions aborts the build.
 	./run_all_plugins.sh grep "$(PLACEHOLDER)" "$(VERSION_FILE)"
-	./run_all_plugins.sh sed -i "s/$(PLACEHOLDER)/__version__ = \"${VERSION}\"/g" $(VERSION_FILE)
+	./run_all_plugins.sh sed -i "s|$(PLACEHOLDER)|__version__ = \"${VERSION}\"|" $(VERSION_FILE)