diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
index 8f3ebd75f..c7a377789 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Query.hs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ module Hledger.Query (
   generatedTransactionTag,
   -- * parsing
   parseQuery,
+  parseQueryList,
   simplifyQuery,
   filterQuery,
   -- * accessors
@@ -141,9 +142,23 @@ data QueryOpt = QueryOptInAcctOnly AccountName  -- ^ show an account register fo
 -- showAccountMatcher _ = Nothing
 
 
--- | Convert a query expression containing zero or more
--- space-separated terms to a query and zero or more query options; or
--- return an error message if query parsing fails.
+-- | A version of parseQueryList which acts on a single Text of
+-- space-separated terms.
+--
+-- The usual shell quoting rules are assumed. When a pattern contains
+-- whitespace, it (or the whole term including prefix) should be enclosed
+-- in single or double quotes.
+--
+-- >>> parseQuery nulldate "expenses:dining out"
+-- Right (Or [Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining"),Acct (RegexpCI "out")],[])
+--
+-- >>> parseQuery nulldate "\"expenses:dining out\""
+-- Right (Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining out"),[])
+parseQuery :: Day -> T.Text -> Either String (Query,[QueryOpt])
+parseQuery d = parseQueryList d . words'' prefixes
+
+-- | Convert a list of query expression containing to a query and zero
+-- or more query options; or return an error message if query parsing fails.
 --
 -- A query term is either:
 --
@@ -161,10 +176,6 @@ data QueryOpt = QueryOptInAcctOnly AccountName  -- ^ show an account register fo
 --
 --      inacct:FULLACCTNAME
 --
--- The usual shell quoting rules are assumed. When a pattern contains
--- whitespace, it (or the whole term including prefix) should be enclosed
--- in single or double quotes.
---
 -- Period expressions may contain relative dates, so a reference date is
 -- required to fully parse these.
 --
@@ -173,15 +184,8 @@ data QueryOpt = QueryOptInAcctOnly AccountName  -- ^ show an account register fo
 -- 2. multiple description patterns are OR'd together
 -- 3. multiple status patterns are OR'd together
 -- 4. then all terms are AND'd together
---
--- >>> parseQuery nulldate "expenses:dining out"
--- Right (Or [Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining"),Acct (RegexpCI "out")],[])
---
--- >>> parseQuery nulldate "\"expenses:dining out\""
--- Right (Acct (RegexpCI "expenses:dining out"),[])
-parseQuery :: Day -> T.Text -> Either String (Query,[QueryOpt])
-parseQuery d s = do
-  let termstrs = words'' prefixes s
+parseQueryList :: Day -> [T.Text] -> Either String (Query, [QueryOpt])
+parseQueryList d termstrs = do
   eterms <- sequence $ map (parseQueryTerm d) termstrs
   let (pats, opts) = partitionEithers eterms
       (descpats, pats') = partition queryIsDesc pats
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs
index 741bb367a..747eac4a6 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/ReportOptions.hs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ data ReportOpts = ReportOpts {
     ,no_elide_       :: Bool
     ,real_           :: Bool
     ,format_         :: StringFormat
-    ,querystring_    :: T.Text
+    ,querystring_    :: [T.Text]
     --
     ,average_        :: Bool
     -- for posting reports (register)
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ defreportopts = ReportOpts
     , no_elide_        = False
     , real_            = False
     , format_          = def
-    , querystring_     = ""
+    , querystring_     = []
     , average_         = False
     , related_         = False
     , txn_dates_       = False
@@ -168,8 +168,7 @@ rawOptsToReportOpts rawopts = do
 
     let colorflag    = stringopt "color" rawopts
         formatstring = maybestringopt "format" rawopts
-        querystring  = T.pack . unwords . map quoteIfNeeded $
-                        listofstringopt "args" rawopts  -- doesn't handle an arg like "" right
+        querystring  = map T.pack $ listofstringopt "args" rawopts  -- doesn't handle an arg like "" right
 
     format <- case parseStringFormat <$> formatstring of
         Nothing         -> return defaultBalanceLineFormat
@@ -237,7 +236,7 @@ defreportspec = ReportSpec
 -- | Generate a ReportSpec from a set of ReportOpts on a given day.
 reportOptsToSpec :: Day -> ReportOpts -> Either String ReportSpec
 reportOptsToSpec day ropts = do
-    (argsquery, queryopts) <- parseQuery day $ querystring_ ropts
+    (argsquery, queryopts) <- parseQueryList day $ querystring_ ropts
     return ReportSpec
       { rsOpts = ropts
       , rsToday = day
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
index 7a11b7140..8d42cd37d 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ asDraw UIState{aopts=_uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportspec_=rspec}}
           <+> toggles
           <+> str (" account " ++ if ishistorical then "balances" else "changes")
           <+> borderPeriodStr (if ishistorical then "at end of" else "in") (period_ ropts)
-          <+> borderQueryStr (T.unpack $ querystring_ ropts)
+          <+> borderQueryStr (unwords . map (quoteIfNeeded . T.unpack) $ querystring_ ropts)
           <+> borderDepthStr mdepth
           <+> str (" ("++curidx++"/"++totidx++")")
           <+> (if ignore_assertions_ $ inputopts_ copts
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
index d37292569..aa81bdf63 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ rsDraw UIState{aopts=_uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportspec_=rspec}}
           <+> togglefilters
           <+> str " transactions"
           -- <+> str (if ishistorical then " historical total" else " period total")
-          <+> borderQueryStr (T.unpack $ querystring_ ropts)
+          <+> borderQueryStr (unwords . map (quoteIfNeeded . T.unpack) $ querystring_ ropts)
           -- <+> str " and subs"
           <+> borderPeriodStr "in" (period_ ropts)
           <+> str " ("
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs
index 94215a810..c69bca6bb 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/TransactionScreen.hs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ tsDraw UIState{aopts=UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportspec_=rspec@ReportSpec{
           <+> withAttr ("border" <> "bold") (str $ show i)
           <+> str (" of "++show (length nts))
           <+> togglefilters
-          <+> borderQueryStr (T.unpack $ querystring_ ropts)
+          <+> borderQueryStr (unwords . map (quoteIfNeeded . T.unpack) $ querystring_ ropts)
           <+> str (" in "++T.unpack (replaceHiddenAccountsNameWith "All" acct)++")")
           <+> (if ignore_assertions_ $ inputopts_ copts then withAttr ("border" <> "query") (str " ignoring balance assertions") else str "")
           where
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs
index 557163de3..2baa712f1 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs
@@ -243,7 +243,8 @@ setFilter :: String -> UIState -> UIState
 setFilter s ui@UIState{aopts=uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportspec_=rspec@ReportSpec{rsOpts=ropts}}}} =
     ui{aopts=uopts{cliopts_=copts{reportspec_=newrspec}}}
   where
-    newrspec = either (const rspec) id $ reportOptsToSpec (rsToday rspec) ropts{querystring_=T.pack s}
+    newrspec = either (const rspec) id $ reportOptsToSpec (rsToday rspec) ropts{querystring_=querystring}
+    querystring = words'' prefixes $ T.pack s
 
 -- | Reset some filters & toggles.
 resetFilter :: UIState -> UIState
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ resetFilter ui@UIState{aopts=uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportspec_=rsp
        empty_=True
       ,statuses_=[]
       ,real_=False
-      ,querystring_=""
+      ,querystring_=[]
       --,period_=PeriodAll
     }}}}}
 
@@ -312,7 +313,8 @@ showMinibuffer :: UIState -> UIState
 showMinibuffer ui = setMode (Minibuffer e) ui
   where
     e = applyEdit gotoEOL $ editor MinibufferEditor (Just 1) oldq
-    oldq = T.unpack . querystring_ . rsOpts . reportspec_ . cliopts_ $ aopts ui
+    oldq = unwords . map (quoteIfNeeded . T.unpack)
+         . querystring_ . rsOpts . reportspec_ . cliopts_ $ aopts ui
 
 -- | Close the minibuffer, discarding any edit in progress.
 closeMinibuffer :: UIState -> UIState
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Aregister.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Aregister.hs
index b7a316ccc..19f06aa0c 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Aregister.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Aregister.hs
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ aregister opts@CliOpts{rawopts_=rawopts,reportspec_=rspec} j = do
   -- the first argument specifies the account, any remaining arguments are a filter query
   (apat,querystring) <- case listofstringopt "args" rawopts of
       []     -> fail "aregister needs an account, please provide an account name or pattern"
-      (a:as) -> return (a, T.pack . unwords $ map quoteIfNeeded as)
-  argsquery <- either fail (return . fst) $ parseQuery d querystring
+      (a:as) -> return (a, map T.pack as)
+  argsquery <- either fail (return . fst) $ parseQueryList d querystring
   let
     acct = headDef (error' $ show apat++" did not match any account")   -- PARTIAL:
            . filterAccts $ journalAccountNames j
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Tags.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Tags.hs
index 5a7158016..2a30888b0 100755
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Tags.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Tags.hs
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ tags CliOpts{rawopts_=rawopts,reportspec_=rspec} j = do
   let args = listofstringopt "args" rawopts
   mtagpat <- mapM (either Fail.fail pure . toRegexCI) $ headMay args
   let
-    querystring = T.pack . unwords . map quoteIfNeeded $ drop 1 args
+    querystring = map T.pack $ drop 1 args
     values      = boolopt "values" rawopts
     parsed      = boolopt "parsed" rawopts
     empty       = empty_ $ rsOpts rspec
 
-  argsquery <- either usageError (return . fst) $ parseQuery d querystring
+  argsquery <- either usageError (return . fst) $ parseQueryList d querystring
   let
     q = simplifyQuery $ And [queryFromFlags $ rsOpts rspec, argsquery]
     txns = filter (q `matchesTransaction`) $ jtxns $ journalSelectingAmountFromOpts (rsOpts rspec) j
diff --git a/tests/cli/query-args.test b/tests/cli/query-args.test
index 557892ce2..57e133c3c 100644
--- a/tests/cli/query-args.test
+++ b/tests/cli/query-args.test
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 # 1. account pattern with space
-hledger -f- register 'a a'
-<<<
+<
 2010/3/1 x
   a a  1
   b
->>>
+
+$ hledger -f- register 'a a'
+>
 2010-03-01 x                    a a                              1             1
->>>=0
+>=0
 
 #
 # 2. description pattern with space
-hledger -f- register desc:'x x'
-<<<
+<
 2010/3/1 x
   a  1
   b
@@ -19,19 +19,38 @@ hledger -f- register desc:'x x'
 2010/3/2 x x
   a  1
   b
->>>
+
+$ hledger -f- register desc:'x x'
+>
 2010-03-02 x x                  a                                1             1
                                 b                               -1             0
->>>=0
+>=0
 
 #
 # 3. multiple patterns, spaced and punctuated patterns
-hledger -f- register 'a a' "'b"
-<<<
+<
 2011/9/11
   a a  1
   'b
->>>
+
+$ hledger -f- register 'a a' "'b"
+>
 2011-09-11                      a a                              1             1
                                 'b                              -1             0
->>>=0
+>=0
+
+#
+# 4. patterns with quotation marks in them
+<
+2020-09-19 Quoting
+    assets:bank           -5
+    assets:unquoted        5
+
+2020-09-20 Quoting
+    assets:bank           -5
+    assets:"quoted"        5
+
+$ hledger -f- register '"quoted'
+>
+2020-09-20 Quoting              assets:"quoted"                  5             5
+>=0