diff --git a/src/Task.cpp b/src/Task.cpp
index b07af1e8a..9d4aa6f0a 100644
--- a/src/Task.cpp
+++ b/src/Task.cpp
@@ -1617,6 +1617,53 @@ void Task::validate_before (const std::string& left, const std::string& right)
 #endif
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Encode values prior to serialization.
+//   [  -> &open;
+//   ]  -> &close;
+const std::string Task::encode (const std::string& value) const
+{
+  std::string modified = value;
+
+  str_replace (modified, "[",  "&open;");
+  str_replace (modified, "]",  "&close;");
+
+  return modified;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Decode values after parse.
+//   "  <- &dquot;
+//   '  <- &squot; or &quot;
+//   ,  <- &comma;
+//   [  <- &open;
+//   ]  <- &close;
+//   :  <- &colon;
+const std::string Task::decode (const std::string& value) const
+{
+  if (value.find ('&') != std::string::npos)
+  {
+    std::string modified = value;
+
+    // Supported encodings.
+    str_replace (modified, "&open;",  "[");
+    str_replace (modified, "&close;", "]");
+
+    // Support for deprecated encodings.  These cannot be removed or old files
+    // will not be parsable.  Not just old files - completed.data can contain
+    // tasks formatted/encoded using these.
+    str_replace (modified, "&dquot;", "\"");
+    str_replace (modified, "&quot;",  "'");
+    str_replace (modified, "&squot;", "'");  // Deprecated 2.0
+    str_replace (modified, "&comma;", ",");  // Deprecated 2.0
+    str_replace (modified, "&colon;", ":");  // Deprecated 2.0
+
+    return modified;
+  }
+
+  return value;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 int Task::determineVersion (const std::string& line)
 {
diff --git a/src/Task.h b/src/Task.h
index 23620c663..ca0796b34 100644
--- a/src/Task.h
+++ b/src/Task.h
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ private:
   void parseJSON (const std::string&);
   void parseLegacy (const std::string&);
   void validate_before (const std::string&, const std::string&);
+  const std::string encode (const std::string&) const;
+  const std::string decode (const std::string&) const;
 
 public:
   float urgency_priority () const;