diff --git a/common.c b/common.c
index a0a7323e5..a138ae2f1 100644
--- a/common.c
+++ b/common.c
@@ -719,10 +719,13 @@ static wchar_t *escape_simple( const wchar_t *in )
 
 
 wchar_t *escape( const wchar_t *in_orig, 
-		 int escape_all )
+		 int flags )
 {
 	const wchar_t *in = in_orig;
 	
+	int escape_all = flags & ESCAPE_ALL;
+	int no_quoted  = flags & ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED;
+	
 	wchar_t *out;
 	wchar_t *pos;
 
@@ -735,7 +738,7 @@ wchar_t *escape( const wchar_t *in_orig,
 		FATAL_EXIT();
 	}
 
-	if( wcslen( in ) == 0 )
+	if( !no_quoted && (wcslen( in ) == 0) )
 	{
 		out = wcsdup(L"''");
 		if( !out )
@@ -884,7 +887,7 @@ wchar_t *escape( const wchar_t *in_orig,
 	  Use quoted escaping if possible, since most people find it
 	  easier to read. 
 	 */
-	if( need_escape && !need_complex_escape && escape_all )
+	if( !no_quoted && need_escape && !need_complex_escape && escape_all )
 	{
 		free( out );
 		out = escape_simple( in_orig );
diff --git a/common.h b/common.h
index f322badaa..41fc64d59 100644
--- a/common.h
+++ b/common.h
@@ -40,9 +40,24 @@
 */
 #define BYTE_MAX 0xffu
 
+/*
+  Escape special fish syntax characters liek the semicolon
+ */
 #define UNESCAPE_SPECIAL 1
+/*
+  Allow incomplete escape sequences
+ */
 #define UNESCAPE_INCOMPLETE 2
 
+/**
+   Escape all characters, including magic characters like the semicolon
+ */
+#define ESCAPE_ALL 1
+/**
+   Do not try to use 'simplified' quoted escapes, and do not use empty quotes as the empty string
+ */
+#define ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED 2
+
 
 /** 
 	Save the shell mode on startup so we can restore them on exit
diff --git a/fish_pager.c b/fish_pager.c
index 23f1ec8ef..cdf75de45 100644
--- a/fish_pager.c
+++ b/fish_pager.c
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ static void mangle_completions( array_list_t *l, const wchar_t *prefix )
 			if( (c == COMPLETE_ITEM_SEP) || (c==COMPLETE_SEP) || !c)
 			{
 				*end = 0;
-				wchar_t * str = escape( start, 1 );
+				wchar_t * str = escape( start, ESCAPE_ALL | ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED );
 				
 				comp->comp_width += my_wcswidth( str );
 				halloc_register( global_context, str );
diff --git a/reader.c b/reader.c
index 8b73143b4..75f5be9b9 100644
--- a/reader.c
+++ b/reader.c
@@ -1001,7 +1001,7 @@ static void completion_insert( const wchar_t *val, int flags )
 
 		if( quote == L'\0' )
 		{
-			replaced = escape( val, 1 );
+			replaced = escape( val, ESCAPE_ALL | ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED );
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -1031,7 +1031,7 @@ static void completion_insert( const wchar_t *val, int flags )
 			if( unescapable )
 			{
 				free( replaced );
-				wchar_t *tmp = escape( val, 1 );
+				wchar_t *tmp = escape( val, ESCAPE_ALL | ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED );
 				replaced = wcsdupcat( L" ", tmp );
 				free( tmp);
 				replaced[0]=quote;
@@ -1134,11 +1134,11 @@ static void run_pager( wchar_t *prefix, int is_quoted, array_list_t *comp )
 				
 				
 
-				foo = escape( el->completion + base_len, 1 );
+				foo = escape( el->completion + base_len, ESCAPE_ALL | ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED );
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				foo = escape( el->completion, 1 );
+				foo = escape( el->completion, ESCAPE_ALL | ESCAPE_NO_QUOTED );
 			}
 		}