diff --git a/cmake_project.lua b/cmake_project.lua
index 0bf1510..158b48a 100755
--- a/cmake_project.lua
+++ b/cmake_project.lua
@@ -21,6 +21,13 @@ local cmake = p.modules.cmake
 cmake.project = {}
 local m = cmake.project
 
+local function esc_quoted(s)
+	s = s:gsub("\\", "\\\\")
+	s = s:gsub("\"", "\\\"")
+	s = s:gsub("\'", "\\'")
+
+	return s
+end
 
 function m.getcompiler(cfg)
 	local default = iif(cfg.system == p.WINDOWS, "msc", "clang")
@@ -288,7 +295,7 @@ function m.generate(prj)
 			-- so instead, use add_custom_target to run it before any rule (as obj)
 			_p('add_custom_target(prebuild-%s', prj.name)
 			if cfg.prebuildmessage then
-				local command = os.translateCommandsAndPaths("{ECHO} " .. cfg.prebuildmessage, cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location)
+				local command = os.translateCommandsAndPaths("{ECHO} " .. esc_quoted(cfg.prebuildmessage), cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location)
 				_p('  COMMAND %s', command)
 			end
 			local commands = os.translateCommandsAndPaths(cfg.prebuildcommands, cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location)
@@ -302,7 +309,7 @@ function m.generate(prj)
 		if cfg.postbuildmessage or #cfg.postbuildcommands > 0 then
 			_p('add_custom_command(TARGET %s POST_BUILD', prj.name)
 			if cfg.postbuildmessage then
-				local command = os.translateCommandsAndPaths("{ECHO} " .. cfg.postbuildmessage, cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location)
+				local command = os.translateCommandsAndPaths("{ECHO} " .. esc_quoted(cfg.postbuildmessage), cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location)
 				_p('  COMMAND %s', command)
 			end
 			local commands = os.translateCommandsAndPaths(cfg.postbuildcommands, cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location)
@@ -319,7 +326,7 @@ function m.generate(prj)
 			end
 			_p('add_custom_command(TARGET OUTPUT %s', table.implode(project.getrelative(cfg.project, fileconfig.buildoutputs),"",""," "))
 			if fileconfig.buildmessage then
-				_p('  COMMAND %s', os.translateCommandsAndPaths('{ECHO} ' .. fileconfig.buildmessage, cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location))
+				_p('  COMMAND %s', os.translateCommandsAndPaths('{ECHO} ' .. esc_quoted(fileconfig.buildmessage), cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location))
 			end
 			for _, command in ipairs(fileconfig.buildcommands) do
 				_p('  COMMAND %s', os.translateCommandsAndPaths(command, cfg.project.basedir, cfg.project.location))