diff --git a/src/lxc/confile.c b/src/lxc/confile.c
index 643a2c96f..7f259b625 100644
--- a/src/lxc/confile.c
+++ b/src/lxc/confile.c
@@ -1246,13 +1246,13 @@ static int set_config_seccomp_profile(const char *key, const char *value,
 static int set_config_execute_cmd(const char *key, const char *value,
 			       struct lxc_conf *lxc_conf, void *data)
 {
-	return set_config_path_item(&lxc_conf->execute_cmd, value);
+	return set_config_string_item(&lxc_conf->execute_cmd, value);
 }
 
 static int set_config_init_cmd(const char *key, const char *value,
 			       struct lxc_conf *lxc_conf, void *data)
 {
-	return set_config_path_item(&lxc_conf->init_cmd, value);
+	return set_config_string_item(&lxc_conf->init_cmd, value);
 }
 
 static int set_config_init_cwd(const char *key, const char *value,