diff --git a/core/commands/add.go b/core/commands/add.go
index 1c4c86030..ba0dc2ecb 100644
--- a/core/commands/add.go
+++ b/core/commands/add.go
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ only-hash, and progress/status related flags) will change the final hash.
 							if quiet {
 								fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "%s\n", output.Hash)
 							} else {
-								fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "added %s %s\n", output.Hash, output.Name)
+								fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "added %s %s\n", output.Hash, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(output.Name))
 							}
 
 						} else {
diff --git a/core/commands/cmdenv/env.go b/core/commands/cmdenv/env.go
index 82df803ac..7e847525c 100644
--- a/core/commands/cmdenv/env.go
+++ b/core/commands/cmdenv/env.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cmdenv
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/commands"
@@ -70,3 +71,14 @@ func GetConfigRoot(env cmds.Environment) (string, error) {
 
 	return ctx.ConfigRoot, nil
 }
+
+// EscNonPrint converts control characters and non-printable characters into Go
+// escape sequences, if the given string contains any.
+func EscNonPrint(s string) string {
+	for _, r := range s {
+		if !strconv.IsPrint(r) {
+			return strings.Trim(strconv.Quote(s), "\"")
+		}
+	}
+	return s
+}
diff --git a/core/commands/dns.go b/core/commands/dns.go
index a775f09db..d5dea4cf1 100644
--- a/core/commands/dns.go
+++ b/core/commands/dns.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
+	cmdenv "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/commands/cmdenv"
 	ncmd "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/commands/name"
 	namesys "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys"
 	nsopts "github.com/ipfs/interface-go-ipfs-core/options/namesys"
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ The resolver can recursively resolve:
 	},
 	Encoders: cmds.EncoderMap{
 		cmds.Text: cmds.MakeTypedEncoder(func(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, out *ncmd.ResolvedPath) error {
-			fmt.Fprintln(w, out.Path.String())
+			fmt.Fprintln(w, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(out.Path.String()))
 			return nil
 		}),
 	},
diff --git a/core/commands/keystore.go b/core/commands/keystore.go
index 0e242ee96..5f2388dde 100644
--- a/core/commands/keystore.go
+++ b/core/commands/keystore.go
@@ -383,9 +383,9 @@ var keyRenameCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	Encoders: cmds.EncoderMap{
 		cmds.Text: cmds.MakeTypedEncoder(func(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, kro *KeyRenameOutput) error {
 			if kro.Overwrite {
-				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Key %s renamed to %s with overwriting\n", kro.Id, kro.Now)
+				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Key %s renamed to %s with overwriting\n", kro.Id, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(kro.Now))
 			} else {
-				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Key %s renamed to %s\n", kro.Id, kro.Now)
+				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Key %s renamed to %s\n", kro.Id, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(kro.Now))
 			}
 			return nil
 		}),
@@ -547,9 +547,9 @@ func keyOutputListEncoders() cmds.EncoderFunc {
 		tw := tabwriter.NewWriter(w, 1, 2, 1, ' ', 0)
 		for _, s := range list.Keys {
 			if withID {
-				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\t%s\t\n", s.Id, s.Name)
+				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\t%s\t\n", s.Id, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(s.Name))
 			} else {
-				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\n", s.Name)
+				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(s.Name))
 			}
 		}
 		tw.Flush()
diff --git a/core/commands/ls.go b/core/commands/ls.go
index 4b0114d33..1a7b0c3fc 100644
--- a/core/commands/ls.go
+++ b/core/commands/ls.go
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func tabularOutput(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, out *LsOutput, lastObjectHash
 				}
 			}
 
-			fmt.Fprintf(tw, s, link.Hash, link.Size, link.Name)
+			fmt.Fprintf(tw, s, link.Hash, link.Size, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(link.Name))
 		}
 	}
 	tw.Flush()
diff --git a/core/commands/mount_unix.go b/core/commands/mount_unix.go
index 1a7e0118b..c6678d175 100644
--- a/core/commands/mount_unix.go
+++ b/core/commands/mount_unix.go
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ baz
 	Type: config.Mounts{},
 	Encoders: cmds.EncoderMap{
 		cmds.Text: cmds.MakeTypedEncoder(func(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, mounts *config.Mounts) error {
-			fmt.Fprintf(w, "IPFS mounted at: %s\n", mounts.IPFS)
-			fmt.Fprintf(w, "IPNS mounted at: %s\n", mounts.IPNS)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "IPFS mounted at: %s\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(mounts.IPFS))
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "IPNS mounted at: %s\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(mounts.IPNS))
 
 			return nil
 		}),
diff --git a/core/commands/name/publish.go b/core/commands/name/publish.go
index 99f0ab3cd..abf1ce34e 100644
--- a/core/commands/name/publish.go
+++ b/core/commands/name/publish.go
@@ -152,9 +152,9 @@ Alternatively, publish an <ipfs-path> using a valid PeerID (as listed by
 			var err error
 			quieter, _ := req.Options[quieterOptionName].(bool)
 			if quieter {
-				_, err = fmt.Fprintln(w, ie.Name)
+				_, err = fmt.Fprintln(w, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(ie.Name))
 			} else {
-				_, err = fmt.Fprintf(w, "Published to %s: %s\n", ie.Name, ie.Value)
+				_, err = fmt.Fprintf(w, "Published to %s: %s\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(ie.Name), ie.Value)
 			}
 			return err
 		}),
diff --git a/core/commands/object/object.go b/core/commands/object/object.go
index b5858546f..ed5bbcf24 100644
--- a/core/commands/object/object.go
+++ b/core/commands/object/object.go
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ multihash.
 				fmt.Fprintln(tw, "Hash\tSize\tName")
 			}
 			for _, link := range out.Links {
-				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\t%v\t%s\n", link.Hash, link.Size, link.Name)
+				fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\t%v\t%s\n", link.Hash, link.Size, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(link.Name))
 			}
 			tw.Flush()
 
diff --git a/core/commands/pin/remotepin.go b/core/commands/pin/remotepin.go
index 12a2639c9..3bd71bb3d 100644
--- a/core/commands/pin/remotepin.go
+++ b/core/commands/pin/remotepin.go
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ Returns a list of objects that are pinned to a remote pinning service.
 	Encoders: cmds.EncoderMap{
 		cmds.Text: cmds.MakeTypedEncoder(func(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, out *RemotePinOutput) error {
 			// pin remote ls produces a flat output similar to legacy pin ls
-			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\n", out.Cid, out.Status, out.Name)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\n", out.Cid, out.Status, cmdenv.EscNonPrint(out.Name))
 			return nil
 		}),
 	},
diff --git a/core/commands/pubsub.go b/core/commands/pubsub.go
index 10bddcd57..1ec5016d6 100644
--- a/core/commands/pubsub.go
+++ b/core/commands/pubsub.go
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ To use, the daemon must be run with '--enable-pubsub-experiment'.
 
 func stringListEncoder(req *cmds.Request, w io.Writer, list *stringList) error {
 	for _, str := range list.Strings {
-		_, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\n", str)
+		_, err := fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(str))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/core/commands/unixfs/ls.go b/core/commands/unixfs/ls.go
index fee64c713..e5fd4e0c2 100644
--- a/core/commands/unixfs/ls.go
+++ b/core/commands/unixfs/ls.go
@@ -213,12 +213,12 @@ If possible, please use 'ipfs ls' instead.
 				if len(out.Arguments) > 1 {
 					for _, arg := range directories[i:] {
 						if out.Arguments[arg] == hash {
-							fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s:\n", arg)
+							fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s:\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(arg))
 						}
 					}
 				}
 				for _, link := range object.Links {
-					fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\n", link.Name)
+					fmt.Fprintf(tw, "%s\n", cmdenv.EscNonPrint(link.Name))
 				}
 			}
 			tw.Flush()