diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.confs.mk b/share/mk/bsd.confs.mk
index ea702cece28..77b573c7e42 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.confs.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.confs.mk
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ ${group}TAGS+=		package=${PACKAGE:Uutilities}
 .          endif
 .        endif
 ${group}TAGS+=		config
-${group}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${group}TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+${group}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${group}TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .      endif
 
 
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.dirs.mk b/share/mk/bsd.dirs.mk
index 317ff61cd60..1f81bda80ea 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.dirs.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.dirs.mk
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ ${dir}_FLAG=	-f ${${dir}_FLAGS}
 .        if !defined(${dir}TAGS) || ! ${${dir}TAGS:Mpackage=*}
 ${dir}TAGS+=		package=${${dir}PACKAGE:Uutilities}
 .        endif
-${dir}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${dir}TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+${dir}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${dir}TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .      endif
 
 installdirs: installdirs-${dir}
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.doc.mk b/share/mk/bsd.doc.mk
index ea8c68e87d5..675639db761 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.doc.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.doc.mk
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ TRFLAGS+=	-t
 .if !defined(TAGS) || ! ${TAGS:Mpackage=*}
 TAGS+=		package=${PACKAGE:Uutilities}
 .endif
-TAG_ARGS=	-T ${TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+TAG_ARGS=	-T ${TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .endif
 
 DCOMPRESS_EXT?=	${COMPRESS_EXT}
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.incs.mk b/share/mk/bsd.incs.mk
index df4cf464114..848ee0aa2ea 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.incs.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.incs.mk
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ ${group}TAGS+=		package=${${group}PACKAGE:Uutilities},dev
 ${group}TAGS+=		package=${PACKAGE:Uutilities},dev
 .endif
 .endif
-${group}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${group}TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+${group}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${group}TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .endif
 
 _${group}INCS=
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.lib.mk b/share/mk/bsd.lib.mk
index 01dd979af15..3013f32c2b3 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.lib.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.lib.mk
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ TAGS+=	lib${_libcompat}
 .if !defined(TAGS) || ! ${TAGS:Mpackage=*}
 TAGS+=		package=${PACKAGE:Uutilities}
 .endif
-TAG_ARGS=	-T ${TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+TAG_ARGS=	-T ${TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .endif
 
 # ELF hardening knobs
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.links.mk b/share/mk/bsd.links.mk
index 437ffd0d3b3..509520a24a3 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.links.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.links.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 .if !defined(TAGS) || ! ${TAGS:Mpackage=*}
 TAGS+=         package=${PACKAGE}
 .endif
-TAG_ARGS=      -T ${TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+TAG_ARGS=      -T ${TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .endif
 
 afterinstall: _installlinks
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.man.mk b/share/mk/bsd.man.mk
index 3444e9612a2..b2152279684 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.man.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.man.mk
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ ${__group}TAGS+=	package=${${__group}PACKAGE:U${PACKAGE:Uutilities}}-man
 .endif
 .endif
 
-${__group}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${__group}TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+${__group}TAG_ARGS=	-T ${${__group}TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .endif	# defined(NO_ROOT)
 
 ${__group}INSTALL?=	${INSTALL} ${${__group}TAG_ARGS} \
diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.prog.mk b/share/mk/bsd.prog.mk
index f44556ef9b7..9350d4786ce 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.prog.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.prog.mk
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ STRIP?=	-s
 .if !defined(TAGS) || ! ${TAGS:Mpackage=*}
 TAGS+=		package=${PACKAGE:Uutilities}
 .endif
-TAG_ARGS=	-T ${TAGS:[*]:S/ /,/g}
+TAG_ARGS=	-T ${TAGS:ts,:[*]}
 .endif
 
 .if defined(NO_SHARED) && ${NO_SHARED:tl} != "no"