diff --git a/test/images/image-util.sh b/test/images/image-util.sh
index f91e3e9fffc..6d11ca081bc 100755
--- a/test/images/image-util.sh
+++ b/test/images/image-util.sh
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ build() {
             "${SED}" -i "s|QEMUARCH|${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}|g" Dockerfile
             # Register qemu-*-static for all supported processors except the current one
             echo 'Registering qemu-*-static binaries in the kernel'
-            local sudo
+            local sudo=""
             if [[ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]]; then
-	            sudo=sudo
+	            sudo="sudo"
             fi
             ${sudo} "${KUBE_ROOT}/third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh" --reset -p yes
             curl -sSL https://github.com/multiarch/qemu-user-static/releases/download/"${QEMUVERSION}"/x86_64_qemu-"${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}"-static.tar.gz | tar -xz -C "${temp_dir}"