diff --git a/app/utility/base_world.py b/app/utility/base_world.py
index f86de97c2..3c95a2756 100644
--- a/app/utility/base_world.py
+++ b/app/utility/base_world.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import binascii
+import shlex
 import string
 import re
 import yaml
@@ -125,7 +126,16 @@ def check_module_version(module, version, attr=None, **kwargs):
             return compare_versions(mod_version, version)
 
         def check_program_version(command, version, **kwargs):
-            output = subprocess.check_output(command.split(' '), stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, shell=False, timeout=10)
+            try:
+                args = shlex.split(command)
+            except ValueError as e:
+                # Unmatched quotes or other shlex parse errors – treat as a
+                # failed requirement rather than propagating an unhandled error.
+                logging.getLogger('check_requirement').error(
+                    'shlex.split failed for command %r: %s', command, e
+                )
+                return False
+            output = subprocess.check_output(args, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, shell=False, timeout=10)
             return compare_versions(output.decode('utf-8'), version)
 
         def compare_versions(version_string, minimum_version):
diff --git a/tests/test_shlex_split.py b/tests/test_shlex_split.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..17d93a129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_shlex_split.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import pytest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+from app.utility.base_world import BaseWorld
+
+# Patch the subprocess reference inside base_world to avoid import-order
+# dependent behavior when subprocess is imported differently in other modules.
+_PATCH_TARGET = 'app.utility.base_world.subprocess.check_output'
+
+
+class TestShlexSplit:
+    def test_simple_command(self):
+        params = {'type': 'installed_program', 'command': 'python3 --version', 'version': '3.0'}
+        with patch(_PATCH_TARGET, return_value=b'Python 3.12.0') as mock:
+            result = BaseWorld.check_requirement(params)
+            mock.assert_called_once()
+            args = mock.call_args[0][0]
+            assert args == ['python3', '--version']
+            assert result is True
+
+    def test_command_with_quotes(self):
+        params = {'type': 'installed_program', 'command': 'echo "hello world"', 'version': '0.0.0'}
+        with patch(_PATCH_TARGET, return_value=b'1.0.0') as mock:
+            result = BaseWorld.check_requirement(params)
+            args = mock.call_args[0][0]
+            assert args == ['echo', 'hello world']
+            assert result is True
+
+    def test_command_with_spaces_in_path(self):
+        params = {'type': 'installed_program', 'command': "'/path/to/my program' --version", 'version': '1.0'}
+        with patch(_PATCH_TARGET, return_value=b'1.5.0') as mock:
+            result = BaseWorld.check_requirement(params)
+            args = mock.call_args[0][0]
+            assert args == ['/path/to/my program', '--version']
+            assert result is True
+
+    def test_unmatched_quote_returns_false(self):
+        """shlex.split raises ValueError on unmatched quotes; must return False, not raise."""
+        params = {'type': 'installed_program', 'command': "python3 --flag 'unterminated", 'version': '3.0'}
+        with patch(_PATCH_TARGET) as mock:
+            result = BaseWorld.check_requirement(params)
+            mock.assert_not_called()
+            assert result is False
+
+    def test_version_below_minimum_returns_false(self):
+        """check_requirement must return False when the installed version is too old."""
+        params = {'type': 'installed_program', 'command': 'python3 --version', 'version': '99.0'}
+        with patch(_PATCH_TARGET, return_value=b'Python 3.12.0'):
+            result = BaseWorld.check_requirement(params)
+            assert result is False