diff --git a/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml b/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
index 50603bc35a24..5b36bf48e4a9 100644
--- a/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
+++ b/eng/common/pipelines/templates/steps/sparse-checkout.yml
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ steps:
       script: |
         function SparseCheckout([Array]$paths, [Hashtable]$repository)
         {
-            $paths = $paths -Join ' '
-
             $dir = $repository.WorkingDirectory
             if (!$dir) {
               $dir = "./$($repository.Name)"
@@ -50,7 +48,9 @@ steps:
               git sparse-checkout set '/*' '!/*/' '/eng'
             }
 
-            $gitsparsecmd = "git sparse-checkout add $paths"
+            # Prevent wildcard expansion in Invoke-Expression (e.g. for checkout path '/*')
+            $quotedPaths = $paths | ForEach-Object { "'$_'" }
+            $gitsparsecmd = "git sparse-checkout add $quotedPaths"
             Write-Host $gitsparsecmd
             Invoke-Expression -Command $gitsparsecmd