diff --git a/src/common.cpp b/src/common.cpp
index 95caaf62a..6694a308c 100644
--- a/src/common.cpp
+++ b/src/common.cpp
@@ -953,6 +953,14 @@ static void escape_string_script(const wchar_t *orig_in, size_t in_len, wcstring
                     need_escape = need_complex_escape = true;
                     break;
                 }
+                case L'\x7F': {
+                    out += L'\\';
+                    out += L'x';
+                    out += L'7';
+                    out += L'f';
+                    need_escape = need_complex_escape = true;
+                    break;
+                }
                 case L'\\':
                 case L'\'': {
                     need_escape = need_complex_escape = true;
diff --git a/tests/checks/string.fish b/tests/checks/string.fish
index cd2d03626..c0cec01a5 100644
--- a/tests/checks/string.fish
+++ b/tests/checks/string.fish
@@ -710,3 +710,6 @@ end
 # CHECKERR: checks/string.fish (line {{\d+}}): function: The name 'string' is reserved, and cannot be used as a function name
 # CHECKERR: function string
 # CHECKERR: ^
+
+string escape \x7F
+# CHECK: \x7f