diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index f731e33f..bf52446b 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -41,8 +41,9 @@ before_script:
    - cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$CONFIG -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$PWD/../date
 
 script:
-   - if [[ -n "${TESTS_CXX_STD:-}" ]]; then ARGS="-DSQLPP11_TESTS_CXX_STD=$TESTS_CXX_STD"; fi
-   - cmake --build . --config $CONFIG ${ARGS:-}
+   - ARGS="--config $CONFIG"
+   - if [[ -n "${TESTS_CXX_STD:-}" ]]; then ARGS="$ARGS -DSQLPP11_TESTS_CXX_STD=$TESTS_CXX_STD"; fi
+   - cmake --build . $ARGS
    - ctest --output-on-failure
 
 after_script: