diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index f7ec60fd4..392dc7129 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ build_script:
 - cd %ROOT_DIRECTORY%\bindings\python
 - b2.exe -j2 %compiler% variant=%variant% linkflags=%linkflags% include="C:\\OpenSSL-Win32\\include" warnings=off --abbreviate-paths stage_module
 - python test.py
-- if $variant == "test_debug" (
+- if %variant% == "test_debug" (
   cd %ROOT_DIRECTORY%\simulation
   && b2.exe -j2 crypto=built-in warnings=off %compiler% )