diff --git a/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c b/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c
index 213724d5cb..438ed05a40 100644
--- a/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c
+++ b/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ static void fn_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "start ");
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ static void fn_alias_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *alias,
 {
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "alias %s ->", alias);
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "alias %s -> ", alias);
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }
@@ -198,12 +198,12 @@ static void fn_child_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 {
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "child_start[%d] ", cmd->trace2_child_id);
+	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "child_start[%d]", cmd->trace2_child_id);
 
 	if (cmd->dir) {
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " cd");
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " cd ");
 		sq_quote_buf_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->dir);
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "; ");
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, ";");
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -211,9 +211,10 @@ static void fn_child_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	 * See trace_add_env() in run-command.c as used by original trace.c
 	 */
 
+	strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
 	if (cmd->git_cmd)
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "git");
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->argv);
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "git ");
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->argv);
 
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
@@ -238,9 +239,11 @@ static void fn_exec_fl(const char *file, int line, uint64_t us_elapsed_absolute,
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "exec[%d] ", exec_id);
-	if (exe)
+	if (exe) {
 		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, exe);
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+		strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
+	}
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }