diff --git a/functions b/functions
index c1b6b74..b7d58aa 100755
--- a/functions
+++ b/functions
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ service_create_container() {
   local SERVICE="$1"
   local SERVICE_ROOT="$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/$SERVICE"
   local SERVICE_NAME="$(get_service_name "$SERVICE")"
-  local PASSWORD=$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/PASSWORD")
+  local PASSWORD="$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/PASSWORD")"
   local PREVIOUS_ID
 
   ID=$(docker run --name "$SERVICE_NAME" -v "$SERVICE_ROOT/data:/var/lib/postgresql/data" -e "POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$PASSWORD" --env-file="$SERVICE_ROOT/ENV" -d --restart always --label dokku=service --label dokku.service=postgres "$PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION")
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ service_export() {
   local SERVICE_ROOT="$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/$SERVICE"
   local SERVICE_NAME="$(get_service_name "$SERVICE")"
   local DATABASE_NAME="$(get_database_name "$SERVICE")"
-  local PASSWORD=$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/PASSWORD")
+  local PASSWORD="$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/PASSWORD")"
 
   [[ -n $SSH_TTY ]] && stty -opost
   docker exec "$SERVICE_NAME" env PGPASSWORD="$PASSWORD" pg_dump -Fc --no-acl --no-owner -h localhost -U postgres -w "$DATABASE_NAME"
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ service_start() {
   dokku_log_info1_quiet "Starting container"
   local PREVIOUS_ID=$(docker ps -f status=exited | grep -e "$SERVICE_NAME$" | awk '{print $1}') || true
   local IMAGE_EXISTS=$(docker images | grep -e "^$PLUGIN_IMAGE " | grep -q " $PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION " && true)
-  local PASSWORD=$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/PASSWORD")
+  local PASSWORD="$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/PASSWORD")"
 
   if [[ -n $PREVIOUS_ID ]]; then
     docker start "$PREVIOUS_ID" > /dev/null