diff --git a/gen-go-code.py b/gen-go-code.py
index 45c326772..a8096dbb6 100755
--- a/gen-go-code.py
+++ b/gen-go-code.py
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def generate_completions_for_kitty() -> None:
 
 # rc command wrappers {{{
 json_field_types: Dict[str, str] = {
-    'bool': 'bool', 'str': 'string', 'list.str': '[]string', 'dict.str': 'map[string]string', 'float': 'float64', 'int': 'int',
+    'bool': 'bool', 'str': 'escaped_string', 'list.str': '[]string', 'dict.str': 'map[string]string', 'float': 'float64', 'int': 'int',
     'scroll_amount': 'any', 'spacing': 'any', 'colors': 'any',
 }
 
@@ -237,7 +237,10 @@ def go_code_for_remote_command(name: str, cmd: RemoteCommand, template: str) ->
         if oq in option_map:
             o = option_map[oq]
             used_options.add(oq)
-            jc.append(f'payload.{field.struct_field_name} = options_{name}.{o.go_var_name}')
+            if field.field_type == 'str':
+                jc.append(f'payload.{field.struct_field_name} = escaped_string(options_{name}.{o.go_var_name})')
+            else:
+                jc.append(f'payload.{field.struct_field_name} = options_{name}.{o.go_var_name}')
         elif field.field in handled_fields:
             pass
         else:
@@ -247,7 +250,10 @@ def go_code_for_remote_command(name: str, cmd: RemoteCommand, template: str) ->
             used_options.add('Match')
             o = option_map['Match']
             field = unhandled[x]
-            jc.append(f'payload.{field.struct_field_name} = options_{name}.{o.go_var_name}')
+            if field.field_type == 'str':
+                jc.append(f'payload.{field.struct_field_name} = escaped_string(options_{name}.{o.go_var_name})')
+            else:
+                jc.append(f'payload.{field.struct_field_name} = options_{name}.{o.go_var_name}')
             del unhandled[x]
     if unhandled:
         raise SystemExit(f'Cant map fields: {", ".join(unhandled)} for cmd: {name}')
diff --git a/kitty/rc/base.py b/kitty/rc/base.py
index c614a7de8..662742f15 100644
--- a/kitty/rc/base.py
+++ b/kitty/rc/base.py
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class ArgsHandling:
             dest = f'payload.{jf.capitalize()}'
             jt = field_types[jf]
             if self.first_rest:
-                yield f'payload.{self.first_rest[0].capitalize()} = args[0]'
+                yield f'payload.{self.first_rest[0].capitalize()} = escaped_string(args[0])'
                 yield f'payload.{self.first_rest[1].capitalize()} = args[1:]'
                 handled_fields.add(self.first_rest[0])
                 handled_fields.add(self.first_rest[1])
@@ -254,9 +254,9 @@ class ArgsHandling:
                 return
             if jt == 'str':
                 if c == 1:
-                    yield f'{dest} = args[0]'
+                    yield f'{dest} = escaped_string(args[0])'
                 else:
-                    yield f'{dest} = strings.Join(args, " ")'
+                    yield f'{dest} = escaped_string(strings.Join(args, " "))'
                 return
             if jt.startswith('choices.'):
                 yield f'if len(args) != 1 {{ return fmt.Errorf("%s", "Must specify exactly 1 argument for {cmd_name}") }}'
diff --git a/tools/cmd/at/main.go b/tools/cmd/at/main.go
index 85ff36a4a..a08a1c2e4 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/at/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/at/main.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
+	"unicode/utf16"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jamesruan/go-rfc1924/base85"
 )
 
+const lowerhex = "0123456789abcdef"
+
 var ProtocolVersion [3]int = [3]int{0, 26, 0}
 
 type GlobalOptions struct {
@@ -36,11 +39,11 @@ type GlobalOptions struct {
 
 var global_options GlobalOptions
 
-func expand_ansi_c_escapes_in_args(args ...string) (string, error) {
+func expand_ansi_c_escapes_in_args(args ...string) (escaped_string, error) {
 	for i, x := range args {
 		args[i] = shlex.ExpandANSICEscapes(x)
 	}
-	return strings.Join(args, " "), nil
+	return escaped_string(strings.Join(args, " ")), nil
 }
 
 func set_payload_string_field(io_data *rc_io_data, field, data string) {
@@ -76,6 +79,48 @@ func get_pubkey(encoded_key string) (encryption_version string, pubkey []byte, e
 	return
 }
 
+type escaped_string string
+
+func (s escaped_string) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	// See https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON
+	// we additionally escape all non-ascii chars so they can be safely transmitted inside an escape code
+	src := utf16.Encode([]rune(s))
+	buf := make([]byte, 0, len(src)+128)
+	a := func(x ...byte) {
+		buf = append(buf, x...)
+	}
+	a('"')
+	for _, r := range src {
+		if ' ' <= r && r <= 126 {
+			buf = append(buf, byte(r))
+			continue
+		}
+		switch r {
+		case '\n':
+			a('\\', 'n')
+		case '\t':
+			a('\\', 't')
+		case '\r':
+			a('\\', 'r')
+		case '\f':
+			a('\\', 'f')
+		case '\b':
+			a('\\', 'b')
+		case '\\':
+			a('\\', '\\')
+		case '"':
+			a('\\', '"')
+		default:
+			a('\\', 'u')
+			for s := 12; s >= 0; s -= 4 {
+				a(lowerhex[r>>uint(s)&0xF])
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	a('"')
+	return buf, nil
+}
+
 func simple_serializer(rc *utils.RemoteControlCmd) (ans []byte, err error) {
 	return json.Marshal(rc)
 }
diff --git a/tools/cmd/at/main_test.go b/tools/cmd/at/main_test.go
index cb7d77dad..daa5b9884 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/at/main_test.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/at/main_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,25 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func TestEncodeJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := map[string]string{
+		"a b\nc\td\a": `a b\nc\td\u0007`,
+		"•":           `\u2022`,
+		"\U0001f123":  `\ud83c\udd23`,
+	}
+	var s escaped_string
+	for x, expected := range tests {
+		s = escaped_string(x)
+		expected = `"` + expected + `"`
+		actualb, _ := s.MarshalJSON()
+		actual := string(actualb)
+		if expected != actual {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed for %#v\n%#v != %#v", x, expected, actual)
+		}
+	}
+
+}
+
 func TestCommandToJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	pv := fmt.Sprint(ProtocolVersion[0], ",", ProtocolVersion[1], ",", ProtocolVersion[2])
 	rc, err := create_rc_ls([]string{})