diff --git a/platforms/app/main.c b/platforms/app/main.c
index 0352aa5..e77c276 100644
--- a/platforms/app/main.c
+++ b/platforms/app/main.c
@@ -80,7 +80,24 @@ M3Result repl_init(IM3Environment env, IM3Runtime* runtime)
     return c_m3Err_none;
 }
 
-int split_argv(char *str, const char** argv)
+static
+void unescape(char* buff)
+{
+    char* outp = buff;
+    while (*buff) {
+        if (*buff == '\\' && *(buff+1) == 'x') {
+            char hex[3] = { *(buff+2), *(buff+3), '\0' };
+            *outp++ = strtol(hex, NULL, 16);
+            buff += 4;
+        } else {
+            *outp++ = *buff++;
+        }
+    }
+    *outp = '\0';
+}
+
+static
+int split_argv(char *str, char** argv)
 {
     int result = 0;
     char* curr = str;
@@ -185,8 +202,8 @@ int  main  (int i_argc, const char* i_argv[])
 
     while (argRepl)
     {
-        char cmd_buff[256] = { 0, };
-        const char* argv[32] = { 0, };
+        char cmd_buff[1024] = { 0, };
+        char* argv[32] = { 0, };
         fprintf(stdout, "wasm3> ");
         fflush(stdout);
         if (!fgets(cmd_buff, sizeof(cmd_buff), stdin)) {
@@ -207,6 +224,7 @@ int  main  (int i_argc, const char* i_argv[])
         } else if (argv[0][0] == ':') {
             result = "no such command";
         } else {
+            unescape(argv[0]);
             result = repl_call(runtime, argv[0], argc-1, argv+1);
         }
 
diff --git a/test/run-spec-test.py b/test/run-spec-test.py
index 57ae089..d7be26a 100755
--- a/test/run-spec-test.py
+++ b/test/run-spec-test.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 # - Get more tests from: https://github.com/microsoft/ChakraCore/tree/master/test/WasmSpec
 # - Fix "Empty Stack" check
 # - Check Canonical NaN and Arithmetic NaN separately
-# - Fix names.wast, imports.wast
+# - Fix imports.wast
 
 import argparse
 import os, sys, glob, time
@@ -102,6 +102,24 @@ def binaryToFloat(num, t):
     else:
         fatal(f"Unknown type '{t}'")
 
+def escape(s):
+    c = ord(s)
+
+    if c < 128 and s.isprintable() and not s in " \n\r\t\\":
+        return s
+
+    if c <= 0xff:
+        return r'\x{0:02x}'.format(c)
+    elif c <= 0xffff:
+        return r'\u{0:04x}'.format(c)
+    else:
+        return r'\U{0:08x}'.format(c)
+
+def escape_str(s):
+    if s == "":
+        return r'\x00'
+    return ''.join(escape(c) for c in s)
+
 #
 # Value format options
 #
@@ -320,7 +338,7 @@ blacklist = Blacklist([
   "*.wast:* *.wasm print32*",
   "*.wast:* *.wasm print64*",
   "imports.wast:*",
-  "names.wast:*",
+  "names.wast:630 *", # name that starts with '\0'
 ])
 
 stats = dotdict(total_run=0, skipped=0, failed=0, crashed=0, timeout=0,  success=0, missing=0)
@@ -523,6 +541,8 @@ for fn in jsonFiles:
                     warning(f"Skipped {test.source} (invoke in module)")
                     continue
 
+                test.action.field = escape_str(test.action.field)
+
                 runInvoke(test)
             else:
                 stats.skipped += 1