diff --git a/labs/lib/functions.sh b/labs/lib/functions.sh
index ba53562e..d9e4b5cb 100644
--- a/labs/lib/functions.sh
+++ b/labs/lib/functions.sh
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ function get_next_prefix {
     local digits=${3:-3}
 
     # Get number of *.$ext files in $dir
-    local cnt="$(get_next_file_number "$dir" "$ext")"
+    local cnt=$(get_next_file_number "$dir" "$ext")
 
     printf "%0${digits}d" "$cnt"
 }
diff --git a/labs/lib/osbash/functions-host.sh b/labs/lib/osbash/functions-host.sh
index 784cad5e..62337ba3 100644
--- a/labs/lib/osbash/functions-host.sh
+++ b/labs/lib/osbash/functions-host.sh
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function ssh_exec_script {
 
     echo -en "\n$(date) start $remote_path"
 
-    local script_name="$(basename "$script_path" .sh)"
+    local script_name=$(basename "$script_path" .sh)
     local prefix=$(get_next_prefix "$LOG_DIR" "auto")
     local log_path=$LOG_DIR/${prefix}_${script_name}.auto
 
diff --git a/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-functions.sh b/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-functions.sh
index 5e4beccb..3deda4c8 100644
--- a/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-functions.sh
+++ b/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-functions.sh
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function create_network {
     ${OSBASH:+:} mktemp -u XXXXXXXX
     ${OSBASH:+:} return 0
 
-    local if_name="$(ip_to_hostonlyif "$ip")"
+    local if_name=$(ip_to_hostonlyif "$ip")
     if [ -n "$if_name" ]; then
         if hostonlyif_in_use "$if_name"; then
             echo >&2 "Host-only interface $if_name ($ip) is in use." \
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ function vm_export_dir {
         # don't register the VM above. Unregistering the registered VM takes
         # care of the snapshots, but we still have to unregister the clone
         # basedisk.
-        local snapshot_path="$(vm_get_disk_path "$node-e")"
+        local snapshot_path=$(vm_get_disk_path "$node-e")
         local hd_dir=${snapshot_path%Snapshots/*}
         local hd_path=$hd_dir$(get_base_disk_name)
         $VBM unregistervm "$node-e"
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ function vm_delete {
     if vm_exists "$vm_name"; then
         echo >&2 "(found)"
         vm_power_off "$vm_name"
-        local hd_path="$(vm_get_disk_path "$vm_name")"
+        local hd_path=$(vm_get_disk_path "$vm_name")
         if [ -n "$hd_path" ]; then
             echo >&2 -e "${CInfo:-}Disk attached: ${CData:-}$hd_path${CReset:-}"
             vm_detach_disk "$vm_name"
@@ -519,10 +519,10 @@ function disk_delete_child_vms {
     while [ : ]; do
         local child_uuid=$(get_next_child_uuid "$disk")
         if [ -n "$child_uuid" ]; then
-            local child_disk="$(disk_to_path "$child_uuid")"
+            local child_disk=$(disk_to_path "$child_uuid")
             echo >&2 -e "\nChild disk UUID: $child_uuid\n\t$child_disk"
 
-            local vm_name="$(disk_to_vm "$child_uuid")"
+            local vm_name=$(disk_to_vm "$child_uuid")
             if [ -n "$vm_name" ]; then
                 echo 2>&1 -e "\tstill attached to VM \"$vm_name\""
                 vm_delete "$vm_name"
diff --git a/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-install_base.sh b/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-install_base.sh
index 743d33ea..f5aa6bb3 100644
--- a/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-install_base.sh
+++ b/labs/lib/osbash/virtualbox-install_base.sh
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function vm_install_base {
     vm_mem "$vm_name" "${VM_BASE_MEM:=512}"
 
     if [ -z "${INSTALL_ISO-}" ]; then
-        local iso_name="$(get_iso_name)"
+        local iso_name=$(get_iso_name)
 
         if [  -z "$iso_name" ]; then
             echo -e >&2 "${CMissing:-}Either ISO URL or name needed (ISO_URL, INSTALL_ISO).${CReset:-}"
diff --git a/labs/lib/wbatch/batch_for_windows.sh b/labs/lib/wbatch/batch_for_windows.sh
index 1b8f7540..3ac7dbbd 100644
--- a/labs/lib/wbatch/batch_for_windows.sh
+++ b/labs/lib/wbatch/batch_for_windows.sh
@@ -149,10 +149,10 @@ function wbatch_mkdirs {
     local logdir=$(wbatch_path_to_windows "$LOG_DIR")
     local statusdir=$(wbatch_path_to_windows "$STATUS_DIR")
 
-    autodir="$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$autodir")"
-    imgdir="$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$imgdir")"
-    logdir="$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$logdir")"
-    statusdir="$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$statusdir")"
+    autodir=$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$autodir")
+    imgdir=$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$imgdir")
+    logdir=$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$logdir")
+    statusdir=$(wbatch_escape_backslash "$statusdir")
 
     sed -e "
         s,%P_AUTODIR%,$autodir,g;