diff --git a/ale_linters/perl/perlcritic.vim b/ale_linters/perl/perlcritic.vim
index 24f7eb86..e91c8a03 100644
--- a/ale_linters/perl/perlcritic.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/perl/perlcritic.vim
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ function! ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetExecutable(buffer) abort
 endfunction
 
 function! ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetProfile(buffer) abort
-
     " first see if we've been overridden
     let l:profile = ale#Var(a:buffer, 'perl_perlcritic_profile')
+
     if l:profile is? ''
         return ''
     endif
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ endfunction
 
 function! ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetCommand(buffer) abort
     let l:critic_verbosity = '%l:%c %m\n'
+
     if ale#Var(a:buffer, 'perl_perlcritic_showrules')
         let l:critic_verbosity = '%l:%c %m [%p]\n'
     endif
@@ -38,17 +39,11 @@ function! ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetCommand(buffer) abort
     let l:profile = ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetProfile(a:buffer)
     let l:options = ale#Var(a:buffer, 'perl_perlcritic_options')
 
-    let l:command = ale#Escape(ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetExecutable(a:buffer))
-    \   . " --verbose '". l:critic_verbosity . "' --nocolor"
-
-    if l:profile isnot? ''
-        let l:command .= ' --profile ' . ale#Escape(l:profile)
-    endif
-    if l:options isnot? ''
-        let l:command .= ' ' . l:options
-    endif
-
-    return l:command
+    return ale#Escape(ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetExecutable(a:buffer))
+    \   . ' --verbose ' . ale#Escape(l:critic_verbosity)
+    \   . ' --nocolor'
+    \   . (!empty(l:profile) ? ' --profile ' . ale#Escape(l:profile) : '')
+    \   . (!empty(l:options) ? ' ' . l:options : '')
 endfunction
 
 
diff --git a/test/command_callback/test_perlcritic_command_callback.vader b/test/command_callback/test_perlcritic_command_callback.vader
index 6507868b..e8d8cc18 100644
--- a/test/command_callback/test_perlcritic_command_callback.vader
+++ b/test/command_callback/test_perlcritic_command_callback.vader
@@ -30,14 +30,18 @@ Execute(The command should be correct with g:ale_perl_perlcritic_showrules off):
   let b:ale_perl_perlcritic_showrules = 0
 
   AssertEqual
-  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic') . ' --verbose ''%l:%c %m\n'' --nocolor',
+  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic')
+  \   . ' --verbose ' . ale#Escape('%l:%c %m\n')
+  \   . ' --nocolor',
   \ ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetCommand(bufnr(''))
 
 Execute(The command should be correct with g:ale_perl_perlcritic_showrules on):
   let b:ale_perl_perlcritic_showrules = 1
 
   AssertEqual
-  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic') . ' --verbose ''%l:%c %m [%p]\n'' --nocolor',
+  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic')
+  \   . ' --verbose ' . ale#Escape('%l:%c %m [%p]\n')
+  \   . ' --nocolor',
   \ ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetCommand(bufnr(''))
 
 Execute(The command search for the profile file when set):
@@ -46,7 +50,9 @@ Execute(The command search for the profile file when set):
   let b:readme_path = ale#path#Simplify(expand('%:p:h:h:h') . '/README.md')
 
   AssertEqual
-  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic') . ' --verbose ''%l:%c %m\n'' --nocolor'
+  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic')
+  \   . ' --verbose ' . ale#Escape('%l:%c %m\n')
+  \   . ' --nocolor'
   \   . ' --profile ' . ale#Escape(b:readme_path),
   \ ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetCommand(bufnr(''))
 
@@ -54,6 +60,8 @@ Execute(Extra options should be set appropriately):
   let b:ale_perl_perlcritic_options = 'beep boop'
 
   AssertEqual
-  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic') . ' --verbose ''%l:%c %m\n'' --nocolor'
+  \ ale#Escape('perlcritic')
+  \   . ' --verbose ' . ale#Escape('%l:%c %m\n')
+  \   . ' --nocolor'
   \   . ' beep boop',
   \ ale_linters#perl#perlcritic#GetCommand(bufnr(''))