diff --git a/call_host.sh b/call_host.sh
index 758e737..743c2d8 100755
--- a/call_host.sh
+++ b/call_host.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ if [ -z "$CALL_HOST_DIR" ]; then
 	if [[ "$(uname -a)" == *cms*.fnal.gov* ]]; then
 		export CALL_HOST_DIR=~/nobackup/pipes
 	elif [[ "$(uname -a)" == *.uscms.org* ]]; then
-		export CALL_HOST_DIR=/scratch/`whoami`/pipes
+		export CALL_HOST_DIR=/scratch/$(whoami)/pipes
 	else
 		echo "Warning: no default CALL_HOST_DIR for $(uname -a), please set your own manually. disabling"
 		export CALL_HOST_STATUS=disable