diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/tasks/electron-browser/terminalTaskSystem.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/tasks/electron-browser/terminalTaskSystem.ts
index 7b0d8986a47..218b9a7b82b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/tasks/electron-browser/terminalTaskSystem.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/tasks/electron-browser/terminalTaskSystem.ts
@@ -576,6 +576,12 @@ export class TerminalTaskSystem implements ITaskSystem {
 	}
 
 	private buildShellCommandLine(shellExecutable: string, shellOptions: ShellConfiguration, command: CommandString, args: CommandString[]): string {
+		// If we have no args and the command is a string then use the
+		// command to stay backwards compatible with the old command line
+		// model.
+		if ((!args || args.length === 0) && Types.isString(command)) {
+			return command;
+		}
 		let basename = path.parse(shellExecutable).name.toLowerCase();
 		let shellQuoteOptions = this.getOuotingOptions(basename, shellOptions);