diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5326c32fd..cb1c3cfd6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   with brackets. To disable, set the new `ui.unique-prefixes` option to `none`
 
 * `jj print` was renamed to `jj cat`. `jj print` remains as an alias.
+  
+* In content that goes to the terminal, the ANSI escape byte (0x1b) is replaced
+  by a "␛" character. That prevents them from interfering with the ANSI escapes
+  jj itself writes.
 
 ### Fixed bugs
 
diff --git a/src/formatter.rs b/src/formatter.rs
index e3c12b4df..9ad91059e 100644
--- a/src/formatter.rs
+++ b/src/formatter.rs
@@ -93,14 +93,17 @@ pub struct FormatterFactory {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 enum FormatterFactoryKind {
     PlainText,
+    Sanitized,
     Color { rules: Arc<Rules> },
 }
 
 impl FormatterFactory {
-    pub fn prepare(config: &config::Config, color: bool) -> Self {
+    pub fn prepare(config: &config::Config, color: bool, sanitized: bool) -> Self {
         let kind = if color {
             let rules = Arc::new(rules_from_config(config));
             FormatterFactoryKind::Color { rules }
+        } else if sanitized {
+            FormatterFactoryKind::Sanitized
         } else {
             FormatterFactoryKind::PlainText
         };
@@ -113,6 +116,7 @@ impl FormatterFactory {
     ) -> Box<dyn Formatter + 'output> {
         match &self.kind {
             FormatterFactoryKind::PlainText => Box::new(PlainTextFormatter::new(output)),
+            FormatterFactoryKind::Sanitized => Box::new(SanitizingFormatter::new(output)),
             FormatterFactoryKind::Color { rules } => {
                 Box::new(ColorFormatter::new(output, rules.clone()))
             }
@@ -154,6 +158,41 @@ impl<W: Write> Formatter for PlainTextFormatter<W> {
     }
 }
 
+pub struct SanitizingFormatter<W> {
+    output: W,
+}
+
+impl<W> SanitizingFormatter<W> {
+    pub fn new(output: W) -> SanitizingFormatter<W> {
+        Self { output }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<W: Write> Write for SanitizingFormatter<W> {
+    fn write(&mut self, data: &[u8]) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+        write_sanitized(&mut self.output, data)?;
+        Ok(data.len())
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        self.output.flush()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<W: Write> Formatter for SanitizingFormatter<W> {
+    fn raw(&mut self) -> &mut dyn Write {
+        &mut self.output
+    }
+
+    fn push_label(&mut self, _label: &str) -> io::Result<()> {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn pop_label(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Style {
     pub fg_color: Option<Color>,
@@ -451,6 +490,26 @@ mod tests {
         insta::assert_snapshot!(String::from_utf8(output).unwrap(), @"hello");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_plaintext_formatter_ansi_codes_in_text() {
+        // Test that ANSI codes in the input text are NOT escaped.
+        let mut output: Vec<u8> = vec![];
+        let mut formatter = PlainTextFormatter::new(&mut output);
+        formatter.write_str("\x1b[1mactually bold\x1b[0m").unwrap();
+        insta::assert_snapshot!(String::from_utf8(output).unwrap(), @"actually bold");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_sanitizing_formatter_ansi_codes_in_text() {
+        // Test that ANSI codes in the input text are escaped.
+        let mut output: Vec<u8> = vec![];
+        let mut formatter = SanitizingFormatter::new(&mut output);
+        formatter
+            .write_str("\x1b[1mnot actually bold\x1b[0m")
+            .unwrap();
+        insta::assert_snapshot!(String::from_utf8(output).unwrap(), @"␛[1mnot actually bold␛[0m");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_color_formatter_color_codes() {
         // Test the color code for each color.
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index d347c9a87..7b03141c3 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -109,8 +109,11 @@ fn pager_setting(config: &config::Config) -> FullCommandArgs {
 impl Ui {
     pub fn with_config(config: &config::Config) -> Ui {
         let color = use_color(color_setting(config));
+        // Sanitize ANSI escape codes if we're printing to a terminal. Doesn't affect
+        // ANSI escape codes that originate from the formatter itself.
+        let sanitize = io::stdout().is_tty();
+        let formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, color, sanitize);
         let progress_indicator = progress_indicator_setting(config);
-        let formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, color);
         Ui {
             color,
             formatter_factory,
@@ -125,7 +128,8 @@ impl Ui {
         self.color = use_color(color_setting(config));
         self.pager_cmd = pager_setting(config);
         self.progress_indicator = progress_indicator_setting(config);
-        self.formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, self.color);
+        let sanitize = io::stdout().is_tty();
+        self.formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, self.color, sanitize);
     }
 
     /// Sets the pagination value.