diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index a0187d662..bd0a88b89 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ rigmatrix_LDFLAGS = -lgd -lz
 rigmatrix.html: rigmatrix_head.html rigmatrix listrigs
 	mkdir -p sup-info/support
 	( cat $(srcdir)/rigmatrix_head.html && cd sup-info && ../rigmatrix ) > sup-info/rigmatrix.html
-	for f in `./listrigs | tail -n +2 | cut -f1` ; do ( ./rigctl -m $$f -u > sup-info/support/model$$f.txt || exit 0 ) ; done
+	for f in $$(./listrigs | tail -n +2 | cut -f1) ; do ( ./rigctl -m $$f -u > sup-info/support/model$$f.txt || exit 0 ) ; done
 	./rigctl -l |sort -n | $(srcdir)/rig_split_lst.awk -v lst_dir="sup-info"
 endif
 
diff --git a/tests/rigctl.test/rigctl.exp b/tests/rigctl.test/rigctl.exp
index 9d3bae83e..8b13f2f57 100644
--- a/tests/rigctl.test/rigctl.exp
+++ b/tests/rigctl.test/rigctl.exp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 set timeout 3
 #
-# expectations that clean up in case of error. Note that `$test' is
+# expectations that clean up in case of error. Note that '$test' is
 # a purely local variable.
 #
 # The first of these is used to match any bad responses, and resynchronise
@@ -59,4 +59,3 @@ send "\\get_info\n"
 expect {
 	-re "Info:.*$prompt$"		{ pass "$test" }
 }
-
diff --git a/tests/testctld.pl b/tests/testctld.pl
index 3ca551dee..4d67bac00 100755
--- a/tests/testctld.pl
+++ b/tests/testctld.pl
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ $socket = new IO::Socket::INET (PeerAddr    => $host,
     or die $@;
 
 
-print "Welcome to testctld.pl a program to test `rigctld'\n";
+print "Welcome to testctld.pl a program to test 'rigctld'\n";
 print "Type '?' or 'help' for commands help.\n\n";
 
 
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ F 28400000
 
 \\set_mode USB 2400
 
-See `man rigctld' for complete command descriptions.
+See 'man rigctld' for complete command descriptions.
 
 Type 'q' or 'exit' to exit $0.
 
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@ sub chk_opt {
     }
 
     # The CHK* line will have a space separated interger of 0 or 1
-    # for `rigctld' invocation without and with -b|--block or
+    # for 'rigctld' invocation without and with -b|--block or
     # -o|--vfo options respectively
     foreach (@lines) {
         if ($_ =~ /^$_[0]\s(\d)/) {
@@ -706,15 +706,15 @@ __END__
 
 =head1 NAME
 
-testctld.pl - A test and example program for `rigctld' written in Perl.
+testctld.pl - A test and example program for 'rigctld' written in Perl.
 
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
 testctld.pl [options]
 
  Options:
-    --host          Hostname or IP address of target `rigctld' process
-    --port          TCP Port of target `rigctld' process
+    --host          Hostname or IP address of target 'rigctld' process
+    --port          TCP Port of target 'rigctld' process
     --help          Brief help message
     --man           Full documentation
     --debug         Enable debugging output
diff --git a/tests/testrotctld.pl b/tests/testrotctld.pl
index 7acf1f560..994afff58 100755
--- a/tests/testrotctld.pl
+++ b/tests/testrotctld.pl
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ $socket = new IO::Socket::INET (PeerAddr    => $host,
     or die $@;
 
 
-print "Welcome to testrotctld.pl a program to test `rotctld'\n";
+print "Welcome to testrotctld.pl a program to test 'rotctld'\n";
 print "Type '?' or 'help' for commands help.\n\n";
 
 
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ P 150.75 22.5
 
 \\get_pos
 
-See `man rotctld' for complete command descriptions.
+See 'man rotctld' for complete command descriptions.
 
 Type 'q' or 'exit' to exit $0.
 
@@ -599,15 +599,15 @@ __END__
 
 =head1 NAME
 
-testctld.pl - A test and example program for `rotctld' written in Perl.
+testctld.pl - A test and example program for 'rotctld' written in Perl.
 
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
 testctld.pl [options]
 
  Options:
-    --host          Hostname or IP address of target `rotctld' process
-    --port          TCP Port of target `rotctld' process
+    --host          Hostname or IP address of target 'rotctld' process
+    --port          TCP Port of target 'rotctld' process
     --help          Brief help message
     --man           Full documentation
     --debug         Enable debugging output