--- a/apt/methods/http.cc	
+++ a/apt/methods/http.cc	
@@ -302,7 +302,12 @@ bool ServerState::Open()
 	 Proxy = DefProxy;
    }
    else
-      Proxy = getenv("http_proxy");
+   {
+      string Unquoted;
+      const char *Quoted = getenv("http_proxy");
+      ParseQuoteWord(Quoted,Unquoted);
+      Proxy = Unquoted;
+   }
    
    // Parse no_proxy, a , separated list of domains
    if (getenv("no_proxy") != 0)