--- a/src/gmtk_media_player.c
+++ b/src/gmtk_media_player.c
@@ -2449,7 +2449,7 @@
         player->minimum_mplayer = detect_mplayer_features(player);
 
         if (player->mplayer_binary == NULL || !g_file_test(player->mplayer_binary, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
-            argv[argn++] = g_strdup_printf("mplayer");
+            argv[argn++] = g_strdup_printf("@mplayer@");
         } else {
             argv[argn++] = g_strdup_printf("%s", player->mplayer_binary);
         }
@@ -4135,7 +4135,7 @@
         return ret;
 
     if (player->mplayer_binary == NULL || !g_file_test(player->mplayer_binary, G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS)) {
-        av[ac++] = g_strdup_printf("mplayer");
+        av[ac++] = g_strdup_printf("@mplayer@");
     } else {
         av[ac++] = g_strdup_printf("%s", player->mplayer_binary);
     }