diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_cmake_tarball.yml b/.github/workflows/build_cmake_tarball.yml
index 268a61fd68..d40c276ed0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_cmake_tarball.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_cmake_tarball.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ name: CMake Tarball
 
 env:
   MAKEFLAGS: "-j2 V=0"
-  DEBUG_CONFIG: /"-O1 -g/"
+  DEBUG_CONFIG: "-O1 -g"
 
 
 on:
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ jobs:
       run: export LESS_TEST_OPTION="-DT8CODE_ENABLE_LESS_TESTS=ON"
           && echo LESS_TEST_OPTION="$LESS_TEST_OPTION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
     - name: build config variables
-      run: export CONFIG_OPTIONS="${LESS_TEST_OPTION} -GNinja -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG=${DEBUG_CONFIG} -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG=${DEBUG_CONFIG} -DT8CODE_USE_SYSTEM_SC=OFF -DT8CODE_USE_SYSTEM_P4EST=OFF -DT8CODE_BUILD_PEDANTIC=ON -DT8CODE_BUILD_WALL=ON -DT8CODE_BUILD_WERROR=ON -DT8CODE_ENABLE_MPI=$MPI -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BUILD_TYPE"
+      run: export CONFIG_OPTIONS="${LESS_TEST_OPTION} -GNinja -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG=${{ env.DEBUG_CONFIG }} -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG=${{ env.DEBUG_CONFIG }} -DT8CODE_USE_SYSTEM_SC=OFF -DT8CODE_USE_SYSTEM_P4EST=OFF -DT8CODE_BUILD_PEDANTIC=ON -DT8CODE_BUILD_WALL=ON -DT8CODE_BUILD_WERROR=ON -DT8CODE_ENABLE_MPI=$MPI -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BUILD_TYPE"
         && echo CONFIG_OPTIONS="$CONFIG_OPTIONS" >> $GITHUB_ENV
     - name: cmake
       run: mkdir build && cd build && cmake ../ $CONFIG_OPTIONS