diff --git a/.taskid b/.taskid
index 0d88bd5..f362f7c 100644
--- a/.taskid
+++ b/.taskid
@@ -1 +1 @@
-DEVX-14
+DEVX-15
diff --git a/src/devx/molecule/distribute_molecule.py b/src/devx/molecule/distribute_molecule.py
index 4207f44..ee7cb76 100644
--- a/src/devx/molecule/distribute_molecule.py
+++ b/src/devx/molecule/distribute_molecule.py
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ class TestPair:
 
     def encode(self) -> str:
         """Serialize to a pipe-delimited string for CI consumption."""
-        return f"{self.scenario}|{self.platform['name']}|{self.platform['image']}|{self.platform['command']}"
+        cmd = self.platform["command"].replace(" ", "__SPACE__")
+        return f"{self.scenario}|{self.platform['name']}|{self.platform['image']}|{cmd}"
 
     @staticmethod
     def decode(encoded: str) -> TestPair:
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class TestPair:
         parts = encoded.split("|")
         return TestPair(
             scenario=parts[0],
-            platform={"name": parts[1], "image": parts[2], "command": parts[3]},
+            platform={"name": parts[1], "image": parts[2], "command": parts[3].replace("__SPACE__", " ")},
         )
 
 
@@ -63,9 +64,8 @@ class MultiRoleTestPair:
 
     def encode(self) -> str:
         """Serialize to a pipe-delimited string: ``role|scenario|platform_name|image|command``."""
-        return (
-            f"{self.role}|{self.scenario}|{self.platform['name']}|{self.platform['image']}|{self.platform['command']}"
-        )
+        cmd = self.platform["command"].replace(" ", "__SPACE__")
+        return f"{self.role}|{self.scenario}|{self.platform['name']}|{self.platform['image']}|{cmd}"
 
     @staticmethod
     def decode(encoded: str) -> MultiRoleTestPair:
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class MultiRoleTestPair:
         return MultiRoleTestPair(
             role=parts[0],
             scenario=parts[1],
-            platform={"name": parts[2], "image": parts[3], "command": parts[4]},
+            platform={"name": parts[2], "image": parts[3], "command": parts[4].replace("__SPACE__", " ")},
         )
 
 
diff --git a/src/devx/molecule/molecule_ci_guard.py b/src/devx/molecule/molecule_ci_guard.py
index 5585e75..31b3b44 100644
--- a/src/devx/molecule/molecule_ci_guard.py
+++ b/src/devx/molecule/molecule_ci_guard.py
@@ -114,12 +114,14 @@ def parse_pair(pair: str) -> tuple[str, str, str, str, str]:
 
     Supports both 4-part (single-role) and 5-part (multi-role) formats.
     For 4-part pairs, role is empty (caller uses default role dir).
+    Spaces in the command field are encoded as ``__SPACE__`` to survive
+    shell word-splitting when ``$TEST_PAIRS`` is expanded unquoted.
     """
     parts = pair.split("|")
     if len(parts) == 4:
-        return "", parts[0], parts[1], parts[2], parts[3]
+        return "", parts[0], parts[1], parts[2], parts[3].replace("__SPACE__", " ")
     if len(parts) == 5:
-        return parts[0], parts[1], parts[2], parts[3], parts[4]
+        return parts[0], parts[1], parts[2], parts[3], parts[4].replace("__SPACE__", " ")
     raise click.ClickException(f"Invalid pair format: {pair!r} (expected 4 or 5 pipe-delimited parts)")