diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d26f2cae5843..176287e03fd0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ PROPAGATE_VARS := \
 
 GO_ENV := GOOS=$(GOOS) GOARCH=$(GOARCH) GOARM=$(GOARM) CGO_ENABLED=$(CGO_ENABLED)
 
-VERSION      ?= $(shell ./tools/image-tag)
+VERSION      ?= $(shell bash ./tools/image-tag)
 GIT_REVISION := $(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 GIT_BRANCH   := $(shell git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
 VPREFIX      := github.com/grafana/agent/pkg/build
diff --git a/packaging/grafana-agent-flow/windows/install_script.nsis b/packaging/grafana-agent-flow/windows/install_script.nsis
index 7833a942941a..19f3fc6cd668 100644
--- a/packaging/grafana-agent-flow/windows/install_script.nsis
+++ b/packaging/grafana-agent-flow/windows/install_script.nsis
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Unicode true
 
 !include nsDialogs.nsh
 !include FileFunc.nsh
-!include ./macros.nsis
+!include .\macros.nsis
 
 !define APPNAME     "Grafana Agent Flow"
 !define HELPURL     "https://grafana.com/docs/agent/latest/flow/"
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RequestExecutionLevel admin
 Name        "${APPNAME} ${VERSION}" # Shown in title bar for installer/uninstaller
 Icon        "logo.ico"
 InstallDir  "$PROGRAMFILES64\${APPNAME}"
-LicenseData ../../../LICENSE
+LicenseData ..\..\..\LICENSE
 OutFile     "${OUT}"
 
 # Everything must be global Vars
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ Section "install"
 
   # Configure the out path and copy files to it.
   SetOutPath "$INSTDIR"
-  File "../../../dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe"
-  File "../../../dist.temp/grafana-agent-service-windows-amd64.exe"
+  File "..\..\..\dist.temp\grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe"
+  File "..\..\..\dist.temp\grafana-agent-service-windows-amd64.exe"
   File "logo.ico"
 
   # Create an uninstaller at the same pathFunctionEnd
diff --git a/tools/make/packaging.mk b/tools/make/packaging.mk
index b55f49ec86a6..c9421433e6ae 100644
--- a/tools/make/packaging.mk
+++ b/tools/make/packaging.mk
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ PARENT_MAKEFILE := $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))
 dist: dist-agent-binaries dist-agent-flow-binaries dist-agentctl-binaries dist-agent-packages dist-agent-flow-packages dist-agent-installer dist-agent-flow-installer
 
 clean-dist:
-	rm -rf dist dist.temp
+	rm -rf ./dist/* ./dist.temp/*
 
 # Used for passing through environment variables to sub-makes.
 #
@@ -35,37 +35,37 @@ dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64: GOARCH  := arm64
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-ppc64le: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-ppc64le: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-ppc64le: GOARCH  := ppc64le
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-ppc64le: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-s390x: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-s390x: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-s390x: GOARCH  := s390x
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-s390x: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-amd64: GOOS    := darwin
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-amd64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-arm64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-arm64: GOOS    := darwin
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-arm64: GOARCH  := arm64
 dist/grafana-agent-darwin-arm64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 # NOTE(rfratto): do not use netgo when building Windows binaries, which
 # prevents DNS short names from being resovable. See grafana/agent#4665.
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ dist/grafana-agent-windows-amd64.exe: GO_TAGS += builtinassets
 dist/grafana-agent-windows-amd64.exe: GOOS    := windows
 dist/grafana-agent-windows-amd64.exe: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agent-windows-amd64.exe: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-freebsd-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets
 dist/grafana-agent-freebsd-amd64: GOOS    := freebsd
 dist/grafana-agent-freebsd-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agent-freebsd-amd64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64-boringcrypto: GO_TAGS      += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
@@ -90,14 +90,14 @@ dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64-boringcrypto: GOOS         := linux
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64-boringcrypto: GOARCH       := amd64
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64-boringcrypto: GOEXPERIMENT := boringcrypto
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-amd64-boringcrypto: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64-boringcrypto: GO_TAGS      += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64-boringcrypto: GOOS         := linux
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64-boringcrypto: GOARCH       := arm64
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64-boringcrypto: GOEXPERIMENT := boringcrypto
 dist/grafana-agent-linux-arm64-boringcrypto: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENT_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent
 
 #
 # agentctl release binaries.
@@ -116,48 +116,48 @@ dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-amd64: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-amd64:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-arm64: GO_TAGS += netgo promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-arm64: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-arm64: GOARCH  := arm64
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-arm64:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-ppc64le: GO_TAGS += netgo promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-ppc64le: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-ppc64le: GOARCH  := ppc64le
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-ppc64le:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-s390x: GO_TAGS += netgo promtail_journal_enabled
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-s390x: GOOS    := linux
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-s390x: GOARCH  := s390x
 dist/grafana-agentctl-linux-s390x:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-amd64: GOOS    := darwin
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-amd64:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-arm64: GO_TAGS += netgo
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-arm64: GOOS    := darwin
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-arm64: GOARCH  := arm64
 dist/grafana-agentctl-darwin-arm64:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-windows-amd64.exe: GOOS   := windows
 dist/grafana-agentctl-windows-amd64.exe: GOARCH := amd64
 dist/grafana-agentctl-windows-amd64.exe:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 dist/grafana-agentctl-freebsd-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo
 dist/grafana-agentctl-freebsd-amd64: GOOS    := freebsd
 dist/grafana-agentctl-freebsd-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist/grafana-agentctl-freebsd-amd64:
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) AGENTCTL_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agentctl
 
 #
 # agent-flow release binaries
@@ -179,31 +179,31 @@ dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-amd64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtai
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-amd64: GOOS    := linux
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-amd64: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-amd64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
 
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-arm64: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-arm64: GOOS    := linux
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-arm64: GOARCH  := arm64
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-arm64: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
 
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-ppc64le: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-ppc64le: GOOS    := linux
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-ppc64le: GOARCH  := ppc64le
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-ppc64le: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
 
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-s390x: GO_TAGS += netgo builtinassets promtail_journal_enabled
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-s390x: GOOS    := linux
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-s390x: GOARCH  := s390x
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-linux-s390x: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
 
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe: GO_TAGS += builtinassets
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe: GOOS    := windows
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) FLOW_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-flow
 
 #
 # agent-service release binaries.
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ dist.temp/grafana-agent-service-windows-amd64.exe: GO_TAGS += builtinassets
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-service-windows-amd64.exe: GOOS    := windows
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-service-windows-amd64.exe: GOARCH  := amd64
 dist.temp/grafana-agent-service-windows-amd64.exe: generate-ui
-	$(PACKAGING_VARS) SERVICE_BINARY=$@ $(MAKE) -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-service
+	$(PACKAGING_VARS) SERVICE_BINARY=$@ "$(MAKE)" -f $(PARENT_MAKEFILE) agent-service
 
 
 #
@@ -388,6 +388,8 @@ ifeq ($(USE_CONTAINER),1)
 else
 	cp ./dist/grafana-agent-windows-amd64.exe ./packaging/grafana-agent/windows
 	cp LICENSE ./packaging/grafana-agent/windows
+	# quotes around mkdir are manadory. ref: https://github.com/grafana/agent/pull/5664#discussion_r1378796371
+	"mkdir" -p dist
 	makensis -V4 -DVERSION=$(VERSION) -DOUT="../../../dist/grafana-agent-installer.exe" ./packaging/grafana-agent/windows/install_script.nsis
 endif
 
@@ -396,5 +398,7 @@ dist-agent-flow-installer: dist.temp/grafana-agent-flow-windows-amd64.exe dist.t
 ifeq ($(USE_CONTAINER),1)
 	$(RERUN_IN_CONTAINER)
 else
+	# quotes around mkdir are manadory. ref: https://github.com/grafana/agent/pull/5664#discussion_r1378796371
+	"mkdir" -p dist
 	makensis -V4 -DVERSION=$(VERSION) -DOUT="../../../dist/grafana-agent-flow-installer.exe" ./packaging/grafana-agent-flow/windows/install_script.nsis
 endif