diff --git a/kitty/bash.py b/kitty/bash.py
index 320041643..ae47bb794 100644
--- a/kitty/bash.py
+++ b/kitty/bash.py
@@ -1,82 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # License: GPLv3 Copyright: 2022, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
 
-import string
 from typing import Dict, List, Tuple
 
-ansi_c_escapes = {
-    'a': '\a',
-    'b': '\b',
-    'e': '\x1b',
-    'E': '\x1b',
-    'f': '\f',
-    'n': '\n',
-    'r': '\r',
-    't': '\t',
-    'v': '\v',
-    '\\': '\\',
-    "'": "'",
-    '"': '"',
-    '?': '?',
-}
+from .utils import shlex_split
 
 
-def ctrl_mask_char(ch: str) -> str:
-    try:
-        o = ord(ch)
-    except Exception:
-        return ch
-    return chr(o & 0b0011111)
-
-
-def read_digit(text: str, pos: int, max_len: int, valid_digits: str, base: int) -> Tuple[str, int]:
-    epos = pos
-    while (epos - pos) <= max_len and epos < len(text) and text[epos] in valid_digits:
-        epos += 1
-    raw = text[pos:epos]
-    try:
-        return chr(int(raw, base)), epos
-    except Exception:
-        return raw, epos
-
-
-def read_hex_digit(text: str, pos: int, max_len: int) -> Tuple[str, int]:
-    return read_digit(text, pos, max_len, string.digits + 'abcdefABCDEF', 16)
-
-
-def read_octal_digit(text: str, pos: int) -> Tuple[str, int]:
-    return read_digit(text, pos, 3, '01234567', 8)
-
-
-def decode_ansi_c_quoted_string(text: str, pos: int) -> Tuple[str, int]:
-    buf: List[str] = []
-    a = buf.append
-    while pos < len(text):
-        ch = text[pos]
-        pos += 1
-        if ch == '\\':
-            ec = text[pos]
-            pos += 1
-            ev = ansi_c_escapes.get(ec)
-            if ev is None:
-                if ec == 'c' and pos + 1 < len(text):
-                    a(ctrl_mask_char(text[pos]))
-                    pos += 1
-                elif ec in 'xuU' and pos + 1 < len(text):
-                    hd, pos = read_hex_digit(text, pos, {'x': 2, 'u': 4, 'U': 8}[ec])
-                    a(hd)
-                elif ec.isdigit():
-                    hd, pos = read_octal_digit(text, pos-1)
-                    a(hd)
-                else:
-                    a(ec)
-            else:
-                a(ev)
-        elif ch == "'":
-            break
-        else:
-            a(ch)
-    return ''.join(buf), pos
+def decode_ansi_c_quoted_string(text: str) -> str:
+    return next(shlex_split(text, True))
 
 
 def decode_double_quoted_string(text: str, pos: int) -> Tuple[str, int]:
@@ -110,7 +41,7 @@ def parse_modern_bash_env(text: str) -> Dict[str, str]:
         if val.startswith('"'):
             val = decode_double_quoted_string(val, 1)[0]
         else:
-            val = decode_ansi_c_quoted_string(val, 2)[0]
+            val = decode_ansi_c_quoted_string(val)
         ans[key] = val
     return ans
 
diff --git a/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py b/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py
index 5ba56919c..acf43e330 100644
--- a/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py
+++ b/kitty_tests/shell_integration.py
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ def run_test(argv, *expected, excluded=(), rc='', wait_string='PROMPT $', assert
             env = pty.callbacks.clone_cmds[0].env
             self.ae(env.get('ES'), 'a\n `b` c\n$d', f'Screen contents: {pty.screen_contents()!r}')
             self.ae(env.get('ES2'), 'XXX', f'Screen contents: {pty.screen_contents()!r}')
+
         for q, e in {
             'a': 'a',
             r'a\ab': 'a\ab',
@@ -390,8 +391,7 @@ def run_test(argv, *expected, excluded=(), rc='', wait_string='PROMPT $', assert
             r'a\U1f345x': 'a🍅x',
             r'a\c b': 'a\0b',
         }.items():
-            q = q + "'"
-            self.ae(decode_ansi_c_quoted_string(q, 0)[0], e, f'Failed to decode: {q!r}')
+            self.ae(decode_ansi_c_quoted_string(f"$'{q}'"), e, f'Failed to decode: {q!r}')
 
 
 class ShellIntegrationWithKitten(ShellIntegration):