diff --git a/src/GHCMod/Options/ShellParse.hs b/src/GHCMod/Options/ShellParse.hs
index 4ad4efe..2bcba0c 100644
--- a/src/GHCMod/Options/ShellParse.hs
+++ b/src/GHCMod/Options/ShellParse.hs
@@ -36,4 +36,6 @@ go (c:cl) curarg accargs quotes
   | otherwise = go cl (c:curarg) accargs quotes
 
 parseCmdLine :: String -> [String]
-parseCmdLine comline = go comline [] [] False
+parseCmdLine ('\\':comline) = go comline [] [] False
+parseCmdLine [] = [""]
+parseCmdLine comline = words comline
diff --git a/test/ShellParseSpec.hs b/test/ShellParseSpec.hs
index 8817ec7..30274f9 100644
--- a/test/ShellParseSpec.hs
+++ b/test/ShellParseSpec.hs
@@ -8,11 +8,17 @@ import Test.Hspec
 spec :: Spec
 spec =
   describe "parseCmdLine" $ do
-    it "splits arguments" $
+    it "splits arguments" $ do
       parseCmdLine "test command line" `shouldBe` ["test", "command", "line"]
-    it "honors quoted segments" $
-      parseCmdLine "test command line \STXwith quoted segment\ETX"
+      parseCmdLine "\\test command line" `shouldBe` ["test", "command", "line"]
+    it "honors quoted segments if turned on" $
+      parseCmdLine "\\test command line \STXwith quoted segment\ETX"
         `shouldBe` ["test", "command", "line", "with quoted segment"]
-    it "squashes multiple spaces" $
+    it "doesn't honor quoted segments if turned off" $
+      parseCmdLine "test command line \STXwith quoted segment\ETX"
+        `shouldBe` words "test command line \STXwith quoted segment\ETX"
+    it "squashes multiple spaces" $ do
       parseCmdLine "test       command"
         `shouldBe` ["test", "command"]
+      parseCmdLine "\\test       command"
+        `shouldBe` ["test", "command"]