diff --git a/src/builtin_commandline.cpp b/src/builtin_commandline.cpp
index 971ba2082..122681af3 100644
--- a/src/builtin_commandline.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_commandline.cpp
@@ -234,9 +234,7 @@ static void write_part(const wchar_t *begin,
         }
 
 //    debug( 0, L"woot2 %ls -> %ls", buff, esc );
-        wcstring tmp = wcstring(begin, end - begin);
-        unescape_string_in_place(&tmp, UNESCAPE_INCOMPLETE);
-        streams.out.append(tmp);
+        streams.out.append(begin, end - begin);
         streams.out.append(L"\n");
 
     }
diff --git a/tests/commandline.expect b/tests/commandline.expect
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8db0c8331
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/commandline.expect
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# vim: set filetype=expect:
+
+spawn $fish
+
+expect_prompt
+
+send_line "bind '~' 'handle_tilde'"
+expect_prompt
+
+# printing the current buffer should not remove quoting
+send_line "function handle_tilde; echo; echo '@GUARD:1@'; commandline -b; echo '@/GUARD:1@'; commandline -b ''; end"
+expect_prompt
+send_line {echo \en one "two three" four'five six'{7} 'eight~}
+expect_prompt -re {\r\n@GUARD:1@\r\n(.*)\r\n@/GUARD:1@\r\n} {
+    puts "a:"
+    puts $expect_out(1,string)
+} unmatched {
+    abort "Couldn't find guard 1"
+}
+
+# printing the buffer with -o should remove quoting
+send_line "function handle_tilde; echo; echo '@GUARD:2@'; commandline -bo; echo '@/GUARD:2@'; commandline -b ''; end"
+expect_prompt
+send_line {echo one "two three" four'five six'{7} 'eight~}
+expect_prompt -re {\r\n@GUARD:2@\r\n(.*)\r\n@/GUARD:2@\r\n} {
+    puts "b:"
+    puts [string map {\r {}} $expect_out(1,string)]
+} unmatched {
+    abort "Couldn't find guard 2"
+}
diff --git a/tests/commandline.expect.err b/tests/commandline.expect.err
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/tests/commandline.expect.out b/tests/commandline.expect.out
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ea3879a83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/commandline.expect.out
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+a:
+echo \en one "two three" four'five six'{7} 'eight
+b:
+echo
+one
+two three
+fourfive six{7}
+eight
diff --git a/tests/commandline.expect.status b/tests/commandline.expect.status
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..573541ac9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/commandline.expect.status
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0