diff --git a/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh b/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh
index 71f179cba3fbda..6585164efe67b9 100644
--- a/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh
+++ b/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh
@@ -259,10 +259,10 @@ __git_ps1_colorize_gitstring ()
 	else
 		# Using \001 and \002 around colors is necessary to prevent
 		# issues with command line editing/browsing/completion!
-		local c_red=$'\001\e[31m\002'
-		local c_green=$'\001\e[32m\002'
-		local c_lblue=$'\001\e[1;34m\002'
-		local c_clear=$'\001\e[0m\002'
+		local c_red=$'\\001\e[31m\\002'
+		local c_green=$'\\001\e[32m\\002'
+		local c_lblue=$'\\001\e[1;34m\\002'
+		local c_clear=$'\\001\e[0m\\002'
 	fi
 	local bad_color=$c_red
 	local ok_color=$c_green
diff --git a/t/t9903-bash-prompt.sh b/t/t9903-bash-prompt.sh
index d667dda654e2de..fc6fdd36c69de2 100755
--- a/t/t9903-bash-prompt.sh
+++ b/t/t9903-bash-prompt.sh
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ export GIT_TEST_DEFAULT_INITIAL_BRANCH_NAME
 . "$GIT_BUILD_DIR/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh"
 
 actual="$TRASH_DIRECTORY/actual"
-c_red='\001\e[31m\002'
-c_green='\001\e[32m\002'
-c_lblue='\001\e[1;34m\002'
-c_clear='\001\e[0m\002'
+c_red='\\001\e[31m\\002'
+c_green='\\001\e[32m\\002'
+c_lblue='\\001\e[1;34m\\002'
+c_clear='\\001\e[0m\\002'
 
 test_expect_success 'setup for prompt tests' '
 	git init otherrepo &&