diff --git a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataImpl.java
index 8115ff8..0dc6f97 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataImpl.java
@@ -671,12 +671,12 @@ public ResultSet getProcedureColumns(String catalog, String schemaPattern, Strin
 
     @Override
     public ResultSet getTables(String catalog, String schemaPattern, String tableNamePattern, String[] types) throws SQLException {
-        // TODO - when server plugin supports PreparedStatement fully, implement this as a preparedStatment with params
+        // TODO - when server plugin supports PreparedStatement fully, implement this as a preparedStatement with params
         log.debug(() -> logMessage("getTables(%s, %s, %s, %s)",
                 catalog, schemaPattern, tableNamePattern, Arrays.toString(types)));
 
-        PreparedStatement pst = connection.prepareStatement("SHOW TABLES LIKE " +
-                (tableNamePattern == null ? "%" : tableNamePattern));
+        PreparedStatement pst = connection.prepareStatement("SHOW TABLES LIKE '" +
+                (tableNamePattern == null ? "%" : tableNamePattern) + "'");
 
         ResultSet resultSet = pst.executeQuery();
 
@@ -1207,8 +1207,8 @@ static class ColumnMetadataStatement extends PreparedStatementImpl {
         ColumnMetadataStatement(ConnectionImpl connection, String tableNamePattern, String columnNamePattern, Logger log)
                 throws SQLException {
             // TODO - once sql plugin supports PreparedStatement fully, do this through a preparedStatement with params
-            super(connection, "DESCRIBE TABLES LIKE " + tableNamePattern +
-                (columnNamePattern != null ? (" COLUMNS LIKE " + columnNamePattern) : ""),
+            super(connection, "DESCRIBE TABLES LIKE '" + tableNamePattern +
+                (columnNamePattern != null ? ("' COLUMNS LIKE '" + columnNamePattern + "'") : "'"),
                 log);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataTests.java b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataTests.java
index ace0bd7..bce19a6 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/jdbc/DatabaseMetaDataTests.java
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ void testGetColumnsWithoutColumnNamePattern() throws Exception {
         Connection con = getMockConnection();
         
         ColumnMetadataStatement stmt = new ColumnMetadataStatement((ConnectionImpl)con, "TABLE_%", null, NoOpLogger.INSTANCE);
-        assertEquals("DESCRIBE TABLES LIKE TABLE_%", stmt.sql);
+        assertEquals("DESCRIBE TABLES LIKE 'TABLE_%'", stmt.sql);
         assertDoesNotThrow(stmt::close);
     }
     
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void testGetColumnsWithColumnNamePattern() throws Exception {
         Connection con = getMockConnection();
         
         ColumnMetadataStatement stmt = new ColumnMetadataStatement((ConnectionImpl)con, "TABLE_%", "COLUMN_%", NoOpLogger.INSTANCE);
-        assertEquals("DESCRIBE TABLES LIKE TABLE_% COLUMNS LIKE COLUMN_%", stmt.sql);
+        assertEquals("DESCRIBE TABLES LIKE 'TABLE_%' COLUMNS LIKE 'COLUMN_%'", stmt.sql);
         assertDoesNotThrow(stmt::close);
     }