diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/10603-riak-cmd-list.yml b/changelogs/fragments/10603-riak-cmd-list.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1a29a07c7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/10603-riak-cmd-list.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - riak - using safer mechanism to run external command (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/10603).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/riak.py b/plugins/modules/riak.py
index 2009ca0a22..bb62405749 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/riak.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/riak.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def main():
                   version=version)
 
     if command == 'ping':
-        cmd = '%s ping %s' % (riak_bin, target_node)
+        cmd = [riak_bin, 'ping', target_node]
         rc, out, err = module.run_command(cmd)
         if rc == 0:
             result['ping'] = out