diff --git a/package/mpg123/mpg123.mk b/package/mpg123/mpg123.mk
index 4c534e2b1a..171cbde0be 100644
--- a/package/mpg123/mpg123.mk
+++ b/package/mpg123/mpg123.mk
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ MPG123_CONF_OPTS += --with-default-audio=alsa
 MPG123_DEPENDENCIES += alsa-lib
 endif
 
-MPG123_CONF_OPTS += --with-audio=$(shell echo $(MPG123_AUDIO) | tr ' ' ,)
+MPG123_CONF_OPTS += --with-audio=$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(MPG123_AUDIO))
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBTOOL),y)
 MPG123_DEPENDENCIES += libtool