diff --git a/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_2d_grid_descriptor.py b/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_2d_grid_descriptor.py
index 0c38596..479f7e9 100644
--- a/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_2d_grid_descriptor.py
+++ b/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_2d_grid_descriptor.py
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def read(cls, fileName=None, ds=None, latVarName='lat',
             descriptor.history = '\n'.join([ds.attrs['history'],
                                             ' '.join(sys.argv[:])])
         else:
-            descriptor.history = sys.argv[:]
+            descriptor.history = ' '.join(sys.argv[:])
         return descriptor
 
     def to_scrip(self, scripFileName):
diff --git a/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_grid_descriptor.py b/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_grid_descriptor.py
index cc56ebb..8a18112 100644
--- a/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_grid_descriptor.py
+++ b/pyremap/descriptor/lat_lon_grid_descriptor.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def read(cls, fileName=None, ds=None, latVarName='lat',
             descriptor.history = '\n'.join([ds.attrs['history'],
                                             ' '.join(sys.argv[:])])
         else:
-            descriptor.history = sys.argv[:]
+            descriptor.history = ' '.join(sys.argv[:])
         return descriptor
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_cell_mesh_descriptor.py b/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_cell_mesh_descriptor.py
index 71fac7b..26c20dc 100644
--- a/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_cell_mesh_descriptor.py
+++ b/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_cell_mesh_descriptor.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def to_scrip(self, scripFileName):
             newhist = '\n'.join([getattr(inFile, 'history'),
                                  ' '.join(sys.argv[:])])
         else:
-            newhist = sys.argv[:]
+            newhist = ' '.join(sys.argv[:])
         setattr(outFile, 'history', newhist)
 
         inFile.close()
diff --git a/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_edge_mesh_descriptor.py b/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_edge_mesh_descriptor.py
index d2cbf3a..f40128e 100644
--- a/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_edge_mesh_descriptor.py
+++ b/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_edge_mesh_descriptor.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def to_scrip(self, scripFileName):
             newhist = '\n'.join([getattr(inFile, 'history'),
                                  ' '.join(sys.argv[:])])
         else:
-            newhist = sys.argv[:]
+            newhist = ' '.join(sys.argv[:])
         setattr(outFile, 'history', newhist)
 
         inFile.close()
diff --git a/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_vertex_mesh_descriptor.py b/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_vertex_mesh_descriptor.py
index 536f99d..69fe7ab 100644
--- a/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_vertex_mesh_descriptor.py
+++ b/pyremap/descriptor/mpas_vertex_mesh_descriptor.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def to_scrip(self, scripFileName):
             newhist = '\n'.join([getattr(inFile, 'history'),
                                  ' '.join(sys.argv[:])])
         else:
-            newhist = sys.argv[:]
+            newhist = ' '.join(sys.argv[:])
         setattr(outFile, 'history', newhist)
 
         inFile.close()
diff --git a/pyremap/descriptor/projection_grid_descriptor.py b/pyremap/descriptor/projection_grid_descriptor.py
index 3abaf2f..da5b5e4 100644
--- a/pyremap/descriptor/projection_grid_descriptor.py
+++ b/pyremap/descriptor/projection_grid_descriptor.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def create(cls, projection, x, y, meshName):
         # interp/extrap corners
         descriptor.xCorner = interp_extrap_corner(descriptor.x)
         descriptor.yCorner = interp_extrap_corner(descriptor.y)
-        descriptor.history = sys.argv[:]
+        descriptor.history = ' '.join(sys.argv[:])
         return descriptor
 
     def to_scrip(self, scripFileName):