diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index 93e86dae9b7d5e290c7a55d233bf77373466d09d..54bffe35b9b99995767ed1689b541f42c6fd3d88 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -66,29 +66,29 @@ jobs:
         # Only check files that have changed from the base reference.
         # Womtool validate checks very slowly, so this saves a lot of time.
         run: |
-          bash -c '
-            for WDL_FILE in $(git diff --name-only origin/${{github.base_ref}} | grep -E \'*.wdl$\'); do
+          bash -c "
+            for WDL_FILE in $(git diff --name-only origin/${{github.base_ref}} | grep -E '*.wdl$'); do
               womtool validate $WDL_FILE
             done
-          '
+          "
       - name: run miniwdl check
         run: bash -c 'miniwdl check $(git ls-files *.wdl)'
 
       - name: Check copyright headers
         run: | 
           bash -c '
-            for WDL_FILE in $(git diff --name-only origin/${{github.base_ref}} | grep -E \'*.wdl$\'); do
+            for WDL_FILE in $(git diff --name-only origin/${{github.base_ref}} | grep -E '*.wdl$'); do
               grep Copyright $WDL_FILE || bash -c "echo No copyright header in $WDL_FILE && exit 1"
             done
           '
       - name: Check parameter_meta for inputs
         run: |
-          bash -c '
-            for WDL_FILE in $(git diff --name-only origin/${{github.base_ref}} | grep -E \'*.wdl$\'); do
+          bash -c "
+            for WDL_FILE in $(git diff --name-only origin/${{github.base_ref}} | grep -E '*.wdl$'); do
               wdl-aid --strict $WDL_FILE > /dev/null 2> wdl-aid_stderr || 
-              if grep -z  "ValueError: Missing parameter_meta for inputs:" wdl-aid_stderr
+              if grep -z  'ValueError: Missing parameter_meta for inputs:' wdl-aid_stderr
               then
                  exit 1
               fi
             done
-          '
+          "