It would apply ```addQuotes``` itself if you did it this way: ```$query[ 'conds' ][ WikiFactory::table( 'city_list_log', 'cl_var_id' ) ] = $variable;```. But items in the conds array are treated as [raw SQL if they have a numeric key](https://github.com/Wikia/app/blob/dev/includes/db/Database.php#L1286).