diff --git a/tools/fs_config/Android.mk b/tools/fs_config/Android.mk
index 96db0f39fb..af0da46b29 100644
--- a/tools/fs_config/Android.mk
+++ b/tools/fs_config/Android.mk
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ $(LOCAL_BUILT_MODULE): $(LOCAL_PATH)/fs_config_generator.py $(TARGET_FS_CONFIG_G
 	   --aid-header $(PRIVATE_ANDROID_FS_HDR) \
 	   --capability-header $(PRIVATE_ANDROID_CAP_HDR) \
 	   --partition system \
-	   --all-partitions $(subst $(space),$(comma),$(PRIVATE_PARTITION_LIST)) \
+	   --all-partitions "$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(PRIVATE_PARTITION_LIST))" \
 	   --dirs \
 	   --out_file $@ \
 	   $(or $(PRIVATE_TARGET_FS_CONFIG_GEN),/dev/null)
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ $(LOCAL_BUILT_MODULE): $(LOCAL_PATH)/fs_config_generator.py $(TARGET_FS_CONFIG_G
 	   --aid-header $(PRIVATE_ANDROID_FS_HDR) \
 	   --capability-header $(PRIVATE_ANDROID_CAP_HDR) \
 	   --partition system \
-	   --all-partitions $(subst $(space),$(comma),$(PRIVATE_PARTITION_LIST)) \
+	   --all-partitions "$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(PRIVATE_PARTITION_LIST))" \
 	   --files \
 	   --out_file $@ \
 	   $(or $(PRIVATE_TARGET_FS_CONFIG_GEN),/dev/null)
diff --git a/tools/fs_config/fs_config_generator.py b/tools/fs_config/fs_config_generator.py
index dccff928f9..4400466084 100755
--- a/tools/fs_config/fs_config_generator.py
+++ b/tools/fs_config/fs_config_generator.py
@@ -1004,10 +1004,6 @@ class FSConfigGen(BaseGenerator):
 
         self._partition = args['partition']
         self._all_partitions = args['all_partitions']
-        if self._partition == 'system' and self._all_partitions is None:
-            sys.exit(
-                'All other partitions must be provided if generating output'
-                ' for the system partition')
 
         self._out_file = args['out_file']