* lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el (package-generate-description-file):

Properly quote the arguments.  Change second arg.
(package--alist-to-plist-args): Rename from package--alist-to-plist and
quote the elements.
(package--make-autoloads-and-stuff): Fix the test for pre-existence of
the *-pkg.el file.  Adjust to new calling convention of
package-generate-description-file.

Fixes: debbugs:18332

lisp/ChangeLog

 2014-09-02  Stefan Monnier  <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
+	* emacs-lisp/package.el (package-generate-description-file):
+	Properly quote the arguments (bug#18332).  Change second arg.
+	(package--alist-to-plist-args): Rename from package--alist-to-plist and
+	quote the elements.
+	(package--make-autoloads-and-stuff): Fix the test for pre-existence of
+	the *-pkg.el file.  Adjust to new calling convention of
+	package-generate-description-file.
+
 	* progmodes/gud.el (gud-gdb-completion-at-point): Add hack (bug#18282).
 	(gud-gdb-completions): Remove obsolete workaround.

lisp/emacs-lisp/package.el

@@ -688,11 +688,9 @@ untar into a directory named DIR; otherwise, signal an error."
 	    (error "Package does not untar cleanly into directory %s/" dir)))))
   (tar-untar-buffer))
 
-(defun package-generate-description-file (pkg-desc pkg-dir)
+(defun package-generate-description-file (pkg-desc pkg-file)
   "Create the foo-pkg.el file for single-file packages."
-  (let* ((name (package-desc-name pkg-desc))
-         (pkg-file (expand-file-name (package--description-file pkg-dir)
-                                     pkg-dir)))
+  (let* ((name (package-desc-name pkg-desc)))
     (let ((print-level nil)
           (print-quoted t)
           (print-length nil))
@@ -712,13 +710,20 @@ untar into a directory named DIR; otherwise, signal an error."
                            (list (car elt)
                                  (package-version-join (cadr elt))))
                          requires))))
-          (package--alist-to-plist
+          (package--alist-to-plist-args
            (package-desc-extras pkg-desc))))
         "\n")
        nil pkg-file nil 'silent))))
 
-(defun package--alist-to-plist (alist)
-  (apply #'nconc (mapcar (lambda (pair) (list (car pair) (cdr pair))) alist)))
+(defun package--alist-to-plist-args (alist)
+  (mapcar (lambda (x)
+            (if (and (not (consp x))
+                     (or (keywordp x)
+                         (not (symbolp x))
+                         (memq x '(nil t))))
+                x `',x))
+          (apply #'nconc
+                 (mapcar (lambda (pair) (list (car pair) (cdr pair))) alist))))
 
 (defun package-unpack (pkg-desc)
   "Install the contents of the current buffer as a package."
@@ -751,9 +756,10 @@ untar into a directory named DIR; otherwise, signal an error."
 (defun package--make-autoloads-and-stuff (pkg-desc pkg-dir)
   "Generate autoloads, description file, etc.. for PKG-DESC installed at PKG-DIR."
   (package-generate-autoloads (package-desc-name pkg-desc) pkg-dir)
-  (let ((desc-file (package--description-file pkg-dir)))
+  (let ((desc-file (expand-file-name (package--description-file pkg-dir)
+                                     pkg-dir)))
     (unless (file-exists-p desc-file)
-      (package-generate-description-file pkg-desc pkg-dir)))
+      (package-generate-description-file pkg-desc desc-file)))
   ;; FIXME: Create foo.info and dir file from foo.texi?
   )