diff --git a/contrib/libedit/parse.c b/contrib/libedit/parse.c
index 2620f41eb1c..3bfea8126bf 100644
--- a/contrib/libedit/parse.c
+++ b/contrib/libedit/parse.c
@@ -228,7 +228,17 @@ parse__escape(const wchar_t **ptr)
                }
        } else if (*p == '^') {
                p++;
-               c = (*p == '?') ? '\177' : (*p & 0237);
+               switch (*p) {
+               case '?':
+                       c = '\177';
+                       break;
+               case '[':
+                       c = '\033';
+                       break;
+               default:
+                       c = *p & 0237;
+                       break;
+               }
        } else
                c = *p;
        *ptr = ++p;