diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index 3b636734..8ef76a09 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ void Buffer::on_option_changed(const Option& option)
             m_flags &= ~Flags::ReadOnly;
     }
     run_hook_in_own_context("BufSetOption",
-                            format("{}={}", option.name(), option.get_as_string()));
+                            format("{}={}", option.name(), option.get_as_string(Quoting::Kakoune)));
 }
 
 void Buffer::run_hook_in_own_context(StringView hook_name, StringView param, String client_name)
diff --git a/src/command_manager.cc b/src/command_manager.cc
index 7537f450..42e7f802 100644
--- a/src/command_manager.cc
+++ b/src/command_manager.cc
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ Token parse_percent_token(Reader& reader, bool throw_on_unterminated)
 
 auto expand_option(Option& opt, std::true_type)
 {
-    return opt.get_as_string();
+    return opt.get_as_string(Quoting::Kakoune);
 }
 
 auto expand_option(Option& opt, std::false_type)
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ expand_token(const Token& token, const Context& context, const ShellContext& she
         auto it = shell_context.env_vars.find(content);
         if (it != shell_context.env_vars.end())
             return {it->value};
-        return {ShellManager::instance().get_val(content, context)};
+        return {ShellManager::instance().get_val(content, context, Quoting::Kakoune)};
     }
     case Token::Type::ArgExpand:
     {
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index a63bc71a..4db5ee30 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -1223,7 +1223,8 @@ const CommandDesc debug_cmd = {
         {
             write_to_debug_buffer("Options:");
             for (auto& option : context.options().flatten_options())
-                write_to_debug_buffer(format(" * {}: {}", option->name(), option->get_as_string()));
+                write_to_debug_buffer(format(" * {}: {}", option->name(),
+                                             option->get_as_string(Quoting::Kakoune)));
         }
         else if (parser[0] == "memory")
         {
@@ -1366,7 +1367,7 @@ const CommandDesc set_option_cmd = {
                  GlobalScope::instance().option_registry().option_exists(params[start + 1]))
         {
             OptionManager& options = get_scope(params[start], context).options();
-            return { 0_byte, params[start + 2].length(), { options[params[start + 1]].get_as_string() }, true };
+            return { 0_byte, params[start + 2].length(), { options[params[start + 1]].get_as_string(Quoting::Kakoune) }, true };
         }
         return Completions{};
     },
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 15ece332..fbc9fb67 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -113,131 +113,132 @@ String config_directory()
 
 static const EnvVarDesc builtin_env_vars[] = { {
         "bufname", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return context.buffer().display_name(); }
     }, {
         "buffile", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return context.buffer().name(); }
     }, {
         "buflist", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return join(BufferManager::instance() |
-                      transform(&Buffer::display_name) | transform(quote), ' ', false); }
+                      transform(&Buffer::display_name) | transform(quoter(quoting)), ' ', false); }
     }, {
         "buf_line_count", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.buffer().line_count()); }
     }, {
         "timestamp", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.buffer().timestamp()); }
     }, {
         "history_id", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string((size_t)context.buffer().current_history_id()); }
     }, {
         "selection", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { const Selection& sel = context.selections().main();
           return content(context.buffer(), sel); }
     }, {
         "selections", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
-        { return join(context.selections_content() | transform(quote), ' ', false); }
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
+        { return join(context.selections_content() | transform(quoter(quoting)), ' ', false); }
     }, {
         "runtime", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return runtime_directory(); }
     }, {
         "config", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return config_directory(); }
     }, {
         "version", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return version; }
     }, {
         "opt_", true,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
-        { return context.options()[name.substr(4_byte)].get_as_string(); }
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
+        { return context.options()[name.substr(4_byte)].get_as_string(quoting); }
     }, {
         "main_reg_", true,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return context.main_sel_register_value(name.substr(9_byte)).str(); }
     }, {
         "reg_", true,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
-        { return join(RegisterManager::instance()[name.substr(4_byte)].get(context) | transform(quote), ' ', false); }
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
+        { return join(RegisterManager::instance()[name.substr(4_byte)].get(context) |
+                      transform(quoter(quoting)), ' ', false); }
     }, {
         "client_env_", true,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return context.client().get_env_var(name.substr(11_byte)).str(); }
     }, {
         "session", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return Server::instance().session(); }
     }, {
         "client", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return context.name(); }
     }, {
         "client_pid", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.client().pid()); }
     }, {
         "client_list", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return join(ClientManager::instance() |
                       transform([](const std::unique_ptr<Client>& c) -> const String&
                                { return c->context().name(); }), ' ', false); }
     }, {
         "modified", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return context.buffer().is_modified() ? "true" : "false"; }
     }, {
         "cursor_line", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.selections().main().cursor().line + 1); }
     }, {
         "cursor_column", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.selections().main().cursor().column + 1); }
     }, {
         "cursor_char_value", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { auto coord = context.selections().main().cursor();
           auto& buffer = context.buffer();
           return to_string((size_t)utf8::codepoint(buffer.iterator_at(coord), buffer.end())); }
     }, {
         "cursor_char_column", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { auto coord = context.selections().main().cursor();
           return to_string(context.buffer()[coord.line].char_count_to(coord.column) + 1); }
     }, {
         "cursor_byte_offset", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { auto cursor = context.selections().main().cursor();
           return to_string(context.buffer().distance({0,0}, cursor)); }
     }, {
         "selection_desc", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return selection_to_string(context.selections().main()); }
     }, {
         "selections_desc", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context)
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting)
         { return selection_list_to_string(context.selections()); }
     }, {
         "window_width", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.window().dimensions().column); }
     }, {
         "window_height", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return to_string(context.window().dimensions().line); }
     }, {
         "user_modes", false,
-        [](StringView name, const Context& context) -> String
+        [](StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) -> String
         { return join(context.keymaps().user_modes(), ' ', false); }
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/option_manager.hh b/src/option_manager.hh
index b7de0e7e..6c9db2ff 100644
--- a/src/option_manager.hh
+++ b/src/option_manager.hh
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public:
     template<typename T> void set(const T& val, bool notify=true);
     template<typename T> bool is_of_type() const;
 
-    virtual String get_as_string() const = 0;
+    virtual String get_as_string(Quoting quoting) const = 0;
     virtual Vector<String> get_as_strings() const = 0;
     virtual void set_from_strings(ConstArrayView<String> strs) = 0;
     virtual void add_from_strings(ConstArrayView<String> strs) = 0;
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ public:
         return option_to_strings(m_value);
     }
 
-    String get_as_string() const override
+    String get_as_string(Quoting quoting) const override
     {
-        return option_to_string(m_value);
+        return option_to_string(m_value, quoting);
     }
 
     void set_from_strings(ConstArrayView<String> strs) override
diff --git a/src/option_types.hh b/src/option_types.hh
index 0cd7ef7e..7d062deb 100644
--- a/src/option_types.hh
+++ b/src/option_types.hh
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
+template<typename T>
+std::enable_if_t<std::is_same<decltype(option_to_string(std::declval<T>())), String>::value, String>
+option_to_string(const T& value, Quoting)
+{
+    return option_to_string(value);
+}
+
 template<typename T, typename... Rest>
 constexpr bool option_needs_quoting(Meta::Type<T> type, Meta::Type<Rest>... rest)
 {
@@ -25,10 +32,10 @@ constexpr bool option_needs_quoting(Meta::Type<T> type, Meta::Type<Rest>... rest
 }
 
 template<typename... Ts>
-String quote_ifn(String str)
+String quote_ifn(String str, Quoting quoting)
 {
     if (option_needs_quoting(Meta::Type<Ts>{}...))
-        return quote(std::move(str));
+        return quoter(quoting)(std::move(str));
     return str;
 }
 
@@ -89,9 +96,9 @@ Vector<String> option_to_strings(const Vector<T, domain>& opt)
 }
 
 template<typename T, MemoryDomain domain>
-String option_to_string(const Vector<T, domain>& opt)
+String option_to_string(const Vector<T, domain>& opt, Quoting quoting)
 {
-    return join(opt | transform([](const T& t) { return quote_ifn<T>(option_to_string(t)); }), ' ', false);
+    return join(opt | transform([=](const T& t) { return quote_ifn<T>(option_to_string(t), quoting); }), ' ', false);
 }
 
 template<typename T, MemoryDomain domain>
@@ -135,13 +142,13 @@ Vector<String> option_to_strings(const HashMap<Key, Value, domain>& opt)
 }
 
 template<typename Key, typename Value, MemoryDomain domain>
-String option_to_string(const HashMap<Key, Value, domain>& opt)
+String option_to_string(const HashMap<Key, Value, domain>& opt, Quoting quoting)
 {
-    return join(opt | transform([](auto&& item) {
+    return join(opt | transform([=](auto&& item) {
         return quote_ifn<Key, Value>(
             format("{}={}",
                    escape(option_to_string(item.key), '=', '\\'),
-                   escape(option_to_string(item.value), '=', '\\')));
+                   escape(option_to_string(item.value), '=', '\\')), quoting);
     }), ' ', false);
 }
 
@@ -335,9 +342,9 @@ inline Vector<String> option_to_strings(const PrefixedList<P, T>& opt)
 }
 
 template<typename P, typename T>
-inline String option_to_string(const PrefixedList<P, T>& opt)
+inline String option_to_string(const PrefixedList<P, T>& opt, Quoting quoting)
 {
-    return option_to_string(opt.prefix) + " " + option_to_string(opt.list);
+    return option_to_string(opt.prefix, quoting) + " " + option_to_string(opt.list, quoting);
 }
 
 template<typename P, typename T>
diff --git a/src/scope.cc b/src/scope.cc
index f2879356..2930be97 100644
--- a/src/scope.cc
+++ b/src/scope.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ void GlobalScope::on_option_changed(const Option& option)
 {
     Context empty_context{Context::EmptyContextFlag{}};
     hooks().run_hook("GlobalSetOption",
-                     format("{}={}", option.name(), option.get_as_string()),
+                     format("{}={}", option.name(), option.get_as_string(Quoting::Kakoune)),
                      empty_context);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/shell_manager.cc b/src/shell_manager.cc
index b92edb4c..3683c85f 100644
--- a/src/shell_manager.cc
+++ b/src/shell_manager.cc
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ Vector<String> generate_env(StringView cmdline, const Context& context, const Sh
         try
         {
             const String& value = var_it != shell_context.env_vars.end() ?
-                var_it->value : ShellManager::instance().get_val(name, context);
+                var_it->value : ShellManager::instance().get_val(name, context, Quoting::Shell);
 
             kak_env.push_back(format("kak_{}={}", name, value));
         } catch (runtime_error&) {}
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ std::pair<String, int> ShellManager::eval(
     return { std::move(stdout_contents), WIFEXITED(status) ? WEXITSTATUS(status) : -1 };
 }
 
-String ShellManager::get_val(StringView name, const Context& context) const
+String ShellManager::get_val(StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) const
 {
     auto env_var = find_if(m_env_vars, [name](const EnvVarDesc& desc) {
         return desc.prefix ? prefix_match(name, desc.str) : name == desc.str;
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ String ShellManager::get_val(StringView name, const Context& context) const
     if (env_var == m_env_vars.end())
         throw runtime_error("no such env var: " + name);
 
-    return env_var->func(name, context);
+    return env_var->func(name, context, quoting);
 }
 
 CandidateList ShellManager::complete_env_var(StringView prefix,
diff --git a/src/shell_manager.hh b/src/shell_manager.hh
index f97935d1..ebfe3cca 100644
--- a/src/shell_manager.hh
+++ b/src/shell_manager.hh
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@ struct ShellContext
     EnvVarMap env_vars;
 };
 
+enum class Quoting;
 
 struct EnvVarDesc
 {
-    using Retriever = String (*)(StringView name, const Context&);
+    using Retriever = String (*)(StringView name, const Context&, Quoting quoting);
 
     StringView str;
     bool prefix;
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ public:
                                 Flags flags = Flags::WaitForStdout,
                                 const ShellContext& shell_context = {});
 
-    String get_val(StringView name, const Context& context) const;
+    String get_val(StringView name, const Context& context, Quoting quoting) const;
 
     CandidateList complete_env_var(StringView prefix, ByteCount cursor_pos) const;
 
diff --git a/src/string_utils.hh b/src/string_utils.hh
index 558ba62f..92714a0d 100644
--- a/src/string_utils.hh
+++ b/src/string_utils.hh
@@ -135,6 +135,23 @@ inline String quote(StringView s)
     return format("'{}'", double_up(s, "'"));
 }
 
+inline String shell_quote(StringView s)
+{
+    return format("'{}'", replace(s, "'", R"('\'')"));
+}
+
+enum class Quoting
+{
+    Kakoune,
+    Shell
+};
+
+inline auto quoter(Quoting quoting)
+{
+    return quoting == Quoting::Kakoune ? &quote : &shell_quote;
+}
+
+
 }
 
 #endif // string_utils_hh_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/window.cc b/src/window.cc
index 648d14ee..52279c15 100644
--- a/src/window.cc
+++ b/src/window.cc
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ void Window::clear_display_buffer()
 void Window::on_option_changed(const Option& option)
 {
     run_hook_in_own_context("WinSetOption", format("{}={}", option.name(),
-                                                   option.get_as_string()));
+                                                   option.get_as_string(Quoting::Kakoune)));
     // an highlighter might depend on the option, so we need to redraw
     force_redraw();
 }
diff --git a/test/shell/list-syntax/cmd b/test/shell/list-syntax/cmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b137891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/list-syntax/cmd
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/test/shell/list-syntax/in b/test/shell/list-syntax/in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b137891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/list-syntax/in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/test/shell/list-syntax/out b/test/shell/list-syntax/out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..074fb665
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/list-syntax/out
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+foo
+bar
+'foo'bar'
+
diff --git a/test/shell/list-syntax/rc b/test/shell/list-syntax/rc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e60c1ad5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/list-syntax/rc
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+declare-option str-list my_list 'foo' 'bar' '''foo''bar'''
+evaluate-commands %sh{
+    eval set -- $kak_opt_my_list
+    for elem; do
+        echo exec "'i$(printf %s "$elem" | sed -e s/\'/\'\'/g)<ret><esc>'"
+    done
+}