diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
index a2f0d4b..900a10e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-package.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
                 os: [ubuntu-latest]
                 # DESI 24.4 release
                 python-version: ['3.10']
-                package-versions: ['numpy<2 scipy matplotlib astropy',
+                package-versions: ['"numpy<2" scipy matplotlib astropy',
                                    'numpy==1.22.4 scipy==1.8.1 matplotlib==3.8.4 astropy==6.0.1']
                 fitsio-version: ['==1.2.1']
         env:
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
                 python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
                 python -m pip install pytest
                 python -m pip install git+https://github.com/desihub/desiutil.git@${DESIUTIL_VERSION}#egg=desiutil
-                python -m pip install -U '${{ matrix.package-versions }}'
+                python -m pip install -U ${{ matrix.package-versions }}
                 python -m pip cache remove fitsio
                 python -m pip install --no-deps --force-reinstall --ignore-installed 'fitsio${{ matrix.fitsio-version }}'
                 python -m pip install pyyaml requests