diff --git a/spec/completion_spec.lua b/spec/completion_spec.lua
index 89c60f2..42f5103 100644
--- a/spec/completion_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/completion_spec.lua
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ _comptest() {
     {-h,--help}"[Show this help message and exit]" \
     "--completion[Output a shell completion script for the specified shell]: :(bash zsh fish)" \
     "*"{-v,--verbose}"[Set the verbosity level]" \
-    {-f,--files}"[A description with illegal \' characters]:*: :_files" \
+    {-f,--files}"[A description with illegal \"' characters]:*: :_files" \
     ": :_comptest_cmds" \
     "*:: :->args" \
     && return 0
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ complete -c comptest -n '__fish_use_subcommand' -xa 'admin' -d 'Rock server admi
 complete -c comptest -s h -l help -d 'Show this help message and exit'
 complete -c comptest -l completion -xa 'bash zsh fish' -d 'Output a shell completion script for the specified shell'
 complete -c comptest -s v -l verbose -d 'Set the verbosity level'
-complete -c comptest -s f -l files -r -d 'A description with illegal \\\' characters'
+complete -c comptest -s f -l files -r -d 'A description with illegal "\' characters'
 
 complete -c comptest -n '__fish_seen_subcommand_from help' -xa 'help completion install i admin'
 complete -c comptest -n '__fish_seen_subcommand_from help' -s h -l help -d 'Show this help message and exit'
diff --git a/spec/comptest b/spec/comptest
index e597de9..948bf33 100755
--- a/spec/comptest
+++ b/spec/comptest
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ parser:flag "-v --verbose"
    :count "*"
 
 parser:option "-f --files"
-   :description "A description with illegal \\' characters."
+   :description "A description with illegal \"' characters."
    :args "+"
 
 local install = parser:command "install i"
diff --git a/src/argparse.lua b/src/argparse.lua
index e45a6c8..de333dc 100644
--- a/src/argparse.lua
+++ b/src/argparse.lua
@@ -1110,6 +1110,15 @@ function Parser:_is_shell_safe()
          end
       end
    end
+   for _, argument in ipairs(self._arguments) do
+      if argument._choices then
+         for _, choice in ipairs(argument._choices) do
+            if choice:find("[%s'\"]") then
+               return false
+            end
+         end
+      end
+   end
    for _, command in ipairs(self._commands) do
       if not command:_is_shell_safe() then
          return false
@@ -1314,7 +1323,8 @@ function Parser:_zsh_arguments(buf, cmd_name, indent)
          table.insert(line, option._name)
       end
       if option._description then
-         table.insert(line, "[" .. get_short_description(option) .. "]")
+         local description = get_short_description(option):gsub('["%]:]', "\\%0")
+         table.insert(line, "[" .. description .. "]")
       end
       if option._maxargs == math.huge then
          table.insert(line, ":*")
@@ -1369,7 +1379,7 @@ function Parser:_zsh_cmds(buf, cmd_name)
          table.insert(line, '"' .. command._name)
       end
       if command._description then
-         table.insert(line, ":" .. get_short_description(command))
+         table.insert(line, ":" .. get_short_description(command):gsub('["]', "\\%0"))
       end
       table.insert(buf, "    " .. table.concat(line) .. '"')
    end