I specified a build parameter in the job as

This build is parameterized
Choice
Name: HUDSON_BUILD_COMMAND
Choices: 'distrib_script --no-create-distrib-tar-file --create-update-tar-file --rsync-update-rsa'

I.e. including the single quotes, as I need them.

Then I have th build step

Execute Shell
Command: scripts/hudson_build.sh $HUDSON_BUILD_COMMAND

When looking at the console output, I get

[builddir] $ sh -xe /tmp/hudson37649.sh
+ scripts/hudson_build_.sh ''\''distrib_script' --no-create-distrib-tar-file --create-update-tar-file '--rsync-update-rsa'\'''

I.e. the build command is totally messed up with the quoting! And thus my build fails.
What I want to be executed in the shell would be:

  scripts/hudson_build_.sh 'distrib_script --no-create-distrib-tar-file --create-update-tar-file --rsync-update-rsa'

Is it possible that Hudson passes the parameters unchanged?