diff --git a/deploy/deploy.sh b/deploy/deploy.sh
index c797f9a..f6abeed 100755
--- a/deploy/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy/deploy.sh
@@ -55,41 +55,41 @@ fi
 echo "All files pass syntax check."
 echo ""
 
-RSYNC_FLAGS="-avz --exclude='__pycache__' --exclude='*.pyc' --exclude='*.bak*'"
+RSYNC_OPTS=(-avz --exclude __pycache__ --exclude '*.pyc' --exclude '*.bak*')
 if $DRY_RUN; then
-  RSYNC_FLAGS="$RSYNC_FLAGS --dry-run"
+  RSYNC_OPTS+=(--dry-run)
   echo "=== DRY RUN ==="
 fi
 
 echo "=== Pipeline lib/ ==="
-rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS "$REPO_ROOT/lib/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/lib/"
+rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/lib/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/lib/"
 echo ""
 
 echo "=== Pipeline top-level ==="
 for f in teleo-pipeline.py reweave.py fetch_coins.py; do
   [ -f "$REPO_ROOT/$f" ] || continue
-  rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS "$REPO_ROOT/$f" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/$f"
+  rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/$f" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/$f"
 done
 echo ""
 
 echo "=== Telegram bot ==="
-rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS --exclude='__pycache__' "$REPO_ROOT/telegram/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/telegram/"
+rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/telegram/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/telegram/"
 echo ""
 
 echo "=== Tests ==="
-rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS --exclude='__pycache__' "$REPO_ROOT/tests/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/tests/"
+rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/tests/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_PIPELINE/tests/"
 echo ""
 
 echo "=== Diagnostics ==="
-rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS "$REPO_ROOT/diagnostics/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_DIAGNOSTICS/"
+rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/diagnostics/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_DIAGNOSTICS/"
 echo ""
 
 echo "=== Agent state ==="
-rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS "$REPO_ROOT/agent-state/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_AGENT_STATE/"
+rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/agent-state/" "$VPS_HOST:$VPS_AGENT_STATE/"
 echo ""
 
 echo "=== Research session ==="
-rsync $RSYNC_FLAGS "$REPO_ROOT/research/research-session.sh" "$VPS_HOST:/opt/teleo-eval/research-session.sh"
+rsync "${RSYNC_OPTS[@]}" "$REPO_ROOT/research/research-session.sh" "$VPS_HOST:/opt/teleo-eval/research-session.sh"
 echo ""
 
 if $DRY_RUN; then