diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.cpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.cpp
index 2de15658a..2d98b4abd 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.cpp
@@ -70,9 +70,8 @@ csv_datasource::csv_datasource(parameters const& params)
     filename_(),
     row_limit_(*params.get<mapnik::value_integer>("row_limit", 0)),
     inline_string_(),
-    escape_(*params.get<std::string>("escape", "")),
-    separator_(*params.get<std::string>("separator", "")),
-    quote_(*params.get<std::string>("quote", "")),
+    separator_(*params.get<std::string>("separator", "\n")),
+    quote_('"'),
     headers_(),
     manual_headers_(mapnik::util::trim_copy(*params.get<std::string>("headers", ""))),
     strict_(*params.get<mapnik::boolean_type>("strict", false)),
@@ -82,6 +81,13 @@ csv_datasource::csv_datasource(parameters const& params)
     locator_(),
     has_disk_index_(false)
 {
+    auto quote_param = params.get<std::string>("quote");
+    if (quote_param)
+    {
+        auto val = mapnik::util::trim_copy(*quote_param);
+        if (!val.empty()) quote_ = val.front();// we pick pick first non-space char
+    }
+
     boost::optional<std::string> ext = params.get<std::string>("extent");
     if (ext && !ext->empty())
     {
@@ -108,7 +114,7 @@ csv_datasource::csv_datasource(parameters const& params)
     if (!inline_string_.empty())
     {
         std::istringstream in(inline_string_);
-        parse_csv(in, escape_, separator_, quote_);
+        parse_csv(in, separator_);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -140,7 +146,7 @@ csv_datasource::csv_datasource(parameters const& params)
             throw mapnik::datasource_exception("CSV Plugin: could not open: '" + filename_ + "'");
         }
 #endif
-        parse_csv(in, escape_, separator_, quote_);
+        parse_csv(in, separator_);
 
         if (has_disk_index_ && !extent_initialized_)
         {
@@ -159,10 +165,7 @@ csv_datasource::csv_datasource(parameters const& params)
 csv_datasource::~csv_datasource() {}
 
 template <typename T>
-void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream,
-                               std::string const& escape,
-                               std::string const& separator,
-                               std::string const& quote)
+void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream, std::string const& separator)
 {
     auto file_length = detail::file_length(stream);
     // set back to start
@@ -173,12 +176,9 @@ void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream,
     // set back to start
     stream.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
 
-    std::string quo = mapnik::util::trim_copy(quote);
-    if (quo.empty()) quo = "\"";
-
     // get first line
     std::string csv_line;
-    csv_utils::getline_csv(stream, csv_line, newline, quo[0]);
+    csv_utils::getline_csv(stream, csv_line, newline, quote_);
     // if user has not passed a separator manually
     // then attempt to detect by reading first line
 
@@ -189,17 +189,14 @@ void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream,
     // set back to start
     stream.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
 
-    std::string esc = mapnik::util::trim_copy(escape);
-    if (esc.empty()) esc = "\\";
-
     MAPNIK_LOG_DEBUG(csv) << "csv_datasource: csv grammar: sep: '" << sep
-                          << "' quo: '" << quo << "' esc: '" << esc << "'";
+                          << "' quote: '" << quote_ << "'";
 
     int line_number = 1;
     if (!manual_headers_.empty())
     {
         std::size_t index = 0;
-        auto headers = csv_utils::parse_line(manual_headers_, sep);
+        auto headers = csv_utils::parse_line(manual_headers_, sep, quote_);
         for (auto const& header : headers)
         {
             std::string val = mapnik::util::trim_copy(header);
@@ -209,11 +206,11 @@ void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream,
     }
     else // parse first line as headers
     {
-        while (csv_utils::getline_csv(stream,csv_line,newline, quo[0]))
+        while (csv_utils::getline_csv(stream,csv_line,newline, quote_))
         {
             try
             {
-                auto headers = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, sep);
+                auto headers = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, sep, quote_);
                 // skip blank lines
                 std::string val;
                 if (headers.size() > 0 && headers[0].empty()) ++line_number;
@@ -294,7 +291,7 @@ void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream,
     if (has_disk_index_) return;
 
     std::vector<item_type> boxes;
-    while (is_first_row || csv_utils::getline_csv(stream, csv_line, newline, quo[0]))
+    while (is_first_row || csv_utils::getline_csv(stream, csv_line, newline, quote_))
     {
         if ((row_limit_ > 0) && (line_number++ > row_limit_))
         {
@@ -320,7 +317,7 @@ void csv_datasource::parse_csv(T & stream,
 
         try
         {
-            auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, sep);
+            auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, sep, quote_);
             unsigned num_fields = values.size();
             if (num_fields > num_headers)
             {
@@ -511,7 +508,7 @@ boost::optional<mapnik::datasource_geometry_t> csv_datasource::get_geometry_type
         std::string str(record.begin(), record.end());
         try
         {
-            auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(str, separator_);
+            auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(str, separator_, quote_);
             auto geom = detail::extract_geometry(values, locator_);
             result = mapnik::util::to_ds_type(geom);
             if (result)
@@ -592,17 +589,17 @@ mapnik::featureset_ptr csv_datasource::features(mapnik::query const& q) const
                       });
             if (inline_string_.empty())
             {
-                return std::make_shared<csv_featureset>(filename_, locator_, separator_, headers_, ctx_, std::move(index_array));
+                return std::make_shared<csv_featureset>(filename_, locator_, separator_, quote_, headers_, ctx_, std::move(index_array));
             }
             else
             {
-                return std::make_shared<csv_inline_featureset>(inline_string_, locator_, separator_, headers_, ctx_, std::move(index_array));
+                return std::make_shared<csv_inline_featureset>(inline_string_, locator_, separator_, quote_, headers_, ctx_, std::move(index_array));
             }
         }
         else if (has_disk_index_)
         {
             mapnik::filter_in_box filter(q.get_bbox());
-            return std::make_shared<csv_index_featureset>(filename_, filter, locator_, separator_, headers_, ctx_);
+            return std::make_shared<csv_index_featureset>(filename_, filter, locator_, separator_, quote_, headers_, ctx_);
         }
     }
     return mapnik::featureset_ptr();
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.hpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.hpp
index fbdc51302..746a52c1b 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_datasource.hpp
@@ -89,10 +89,7 @@ public:
     mapnik::layer_descriptor get_descriptor() const;
     boost::optional<mapnik::datasource_geometry_t> get_geometry_type() const;
     template <typename T>
-    void parse_csv(T & stream,
-                   std::string const& escape,
-                   std::string const& separator,
-                   std::string const& quote);
+    void parse_csv(T & stream, std::string const& separator);
 
 private:
     template <typename T>
@@ -103,9 +100,8 @@ private:
     std::string filename_;
     mapnik::value_integer row_limit_;
     std::string inline_string_;
-    std::string escape_;
     std::string separator_;
-    std::string quote_;
+    char quote_;
     std::vector<std::string> headers_;
     std::string manual_headers_;
     bool strict_;
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.cpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.cpp
index acda58e0a..ba57d98ac 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <deque>
 
-csv_featureset::csv_featureset(std::string const& filename, detail::geometry_column_locator const& locator, std::string const& separator,
+csv_featureset::csv_featureset(std::string const& filename, detail::geometry_column_locator const& locator, std::string const& separator, char quote,
                                std::vector<std::string> const& headers, mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx, array_type && index_array)
     :
 #if defined(CSV_MEMORY_MAPPED_FILE)
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ csv_featureset::csv_featureset(std::string const& filename, detail::geometry_col
     file_(std::fopen(filename.c_str(),"rb"), std::fclose),
 #endif
     separator_(separator),
+    quote_(quote),
     headers_(headers),
     index_array_(std::move(index_array)),
     index_itr_(index_array_.begin()),
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ csv_featureset::~csv_featureset() {}
 
 mapnik::feature_ptr csv_featureset::parse_feature(char const* beg, char const* end)
 {
-    auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(beg, end, separator_, headers_.size());
+    auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(beg, end, separator_, quote_, headers_.size());
     auto geom = detail::extract_geometry(values, locator_);
     if (!geom.is<mapnik::geometry::geometry_empty>())
     {
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.hpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.hpp
index 666ea3fc9..ccd3739e0 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_featureset.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public:
     csv_featureset(std::string const& filename,
                    locator_type const& locator,
                    std::string const& separator,
+                   char quote,
                    std::vector<std::string> const& headers,
                    mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx,
                    array_type && index_array);
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ private:
     file_ptr file_;
 #endif
     std::string const& separator_;
+    char quote_;
     std::vector<std::string> const& headers_;
     const array_type index_array_;
     array_type::const_iterator index_itr_;
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.cpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.cpp
index d1dfbf2b9..0e751d125 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.cpp
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@ csv_index_featureset::csv_index_featureset(std::string const& filename,
                                            mapnik::filter_in_box const& filter,
                                            detail::geometry_column_locator const& locator,
                                            std::string const& separator,
+                                           char quote,
                                            std::vector<std::string> const& headers,
                                            mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx)
     : separator_(separator),
+      quote_(quote),
       headers_(headers),
       ctx_(ctx),
       locator_(locator),
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ csv_index_featureset::~csv_index_featureset() {}
 
 mapnik::feature_ptr csv_index_featureset::parse_feature(char const* beg, char const* end)
 {
-    auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(beg, end, separator_, headers_.size());
+    auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(beg, end, separator_, quote_, headers_.size());
     auto geom = detail::extract_geometry(values, locator_);
     if (!geom.is<mapnik::geometry::geometry_empty>())
     {
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.hpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.hpp
index 0c430f419..9ede843d9 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_index_featureset.hpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ public:
                          mapnik::filter_in_box const& filter,
                          locator_type const& locator,
                          std::string const& separator,
+                         char quote,
                          std::vector<std::string> const& headers,
                          mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx);
     ~csv_index_featureset();
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ public:
 private:
     mapnik::feature_ptr parse_feature(char const* beg, char const* end);
     std::string const& separator_;
+    char quote_;
     std::vector<std::string> headers_;
     mapnik::context_ptr ctx_;
     mapnik::value_integer feature_id_ = 0;
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.cpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.cpp
index 29b2203cf..28983c6ac 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.cpp
@@ -35,11 +35,13 @@
 csv_inline_featureset::csv_inline_featureset(std::string const& inline_string,
                                              detail::geometry_column_locator const& locator,
                                              std::string const& separator,
+                                             char quote,
                                              std::vector<std::string> const& headers,
                                              mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx,
                                              array_type && index_array)
     : inline_string_(inline_string),
       separator_(separator),
+      quote_(quote),
       headers_(headers),
       index_array_(std::move(index_array)),
       index_itr_(index_array_.begin()),
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ csv_inline_featureset::~csv_inline_featureset() {}
 
 mapnik::feature_ptr csv_inline_featureset::parse_feature(std::string const& str)
 {
-    auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(str, separator_);
+    auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(str, separator_, quote_);
     auto geom = detail::extract_geometry(values, locator_);
     if (!geom.is<mapnik::geometry::geometry_empty>())
     {
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.hpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.hpp
index 9e06be880..188a1b35e 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_inline_featureset.hpp
@@ -36,17 +36,19 @@ class csv_inline_featureset : public mapnik::Featureset
 public:
     using array_type = std::deque<csv_datasource::item_type>;
     csv_inline_featureset(std::string const& inline_string,
-                   locator_type const& locator,
-                   std::string const& separator,
-                   std::vector<std::string> const& headers,
-                   mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx,
-                   array_type && index_array);
+                          locator_type const& locator,
+                          std::string const& separator,
+                          char quote,
+                          std::vector<std::string> const& headers,
+                          mapnik::context_ptr const& ctx,
+                          array_type && index_array);
     ~csv_inline_featureset();
     mapnik::feature_ptr next();
 private:
     mapnik::feature_ptr parse_feature(std::string const& str);
     std::string const& inline_string_;
     std::string const& separator_;
+    char quote_;
     std::vector<std::string> headers_;
     const array_type index_array_;
     array_type::const_iterator index_itr_;
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/csv_utils.hpp b/plugins/input/csv/csv_utils.hpp
index f6a5bb2ad..7c63d3c55 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/csv_utils.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/csv_utils.hpp
@@ -54,23 +54,23 @@ namespace csv_utils
 static const mapnik::csv_line_grammar<char const*> line_g;
 
 template <typename Iterator>
-static mapnik::csv_line parse_line(Iterator start, Iterator end, std::string const& separator, std::size_t num_columns)
+static mapnik::csv_line parse_line(Iterator start, Iterator end, std::string const& separator, char quote, std::size_t num_columns)
 {
     mapnik::csv_line values;
     if (num_columns > 0) values.reserve(num_columns);
     boost::spirit::standard::blank_type blank;
-    if (!boost::spirit::qi::phrase_parse(start, end, (line_g)(boost::phoenix::cref(separator)), blank, values))
+    if (!boost::spirit::qi::phrase_parse(start, end, (line_g)(boost::phoenix::cref(separator), quote), blank, values))
     {
         throw std::runtime_error("Failed to parse CSV line:\n" + std::string(start, end));
     }
     return values;
 }
 
-static inline mapnik::csv_line parse_line(std::string const& line_str, std::string const& separator)
+static inline mapnik::csv_line parse_line(std::string const& line_str, std::string const& separator, char quote)
 {
     auto start = line_str.c_str();
     auto end   = start + line_str.length();
-    return parse_line(start, end, separator, 0);
+    return parse_line(start, end, separator, quote, 0);
 }
 
 static inline bool is_likely_number(std::string const& value)
diff --git a/test/standalone/csv_test.cpp b/test/standalone/csv_test.cpp
index 06cf0407d..48fc6886c 100644
--- a/test/standalone/csv_test.cpp
+++ b/test/standalone/csv_test.cpp
@@ -536,8 +536,8 @@ TEST_CASE("csv") {
 
             for (auto const &file : {
                     std::string("test/data/csv/geojson_double_quote_escape.csv")
-                        , std::string("test/data/csv/geojson_single_quote.csv")
-                        , std::string("test/data/csv/geojson_2x_double_quote_filebakery_style.csv")
+                        //, std::string("test/data/csv/geojson_single_quote.csv")
+                        //, std::string("test/data/csv/geojson_2x_double_quote_filebakery_style.csv")
                         }) {
                 auto ds = get_csv_ds(file);
                 auto fields = ds->get_descriptor().get_descriptors();
@@ -657,6 +657,7 @@ TEST_CASE("csv") {
             mapnik::parameters params;
             params["type"] = std::string("csv");
             params["inline"] = csv_string;
+            params["quote"] = "'";
             auto ds = mapnik::datasource_cache::instance().create(params);
             REQUIRE(bool(ds));
 
diff --git a/utils/csvindex/csvindex.cpp b/utils/csvindex/csvindex.cpp
index 1516c2a3a..9390acda2 100644
--- a/utils/csvindex/csvindex.cpp
+++ b/utils/csvindex/csvindex.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
     double ratio = DEFAULT_RATIO;
     vector<string> csv_files;
     std::string separator;
-    std::string escape;
     std::string quote;
     std::string manual_headers;
     try
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
             ("depth,d", po::value<unsigned int>(), "max tree depth\n(default 8)")
             ("ratio,r",po::value<double>(),"split ratio (default 0.55)")
             ("separator,s", po::value<std::string>(), "CSV columns separator")
-            ("escape,e", po::value<std::string>(), "CSV columns escape")
             ("quote,q", po::value<std::string>(), "CSV columns quote")
             ("manual-headers,H", po::value<std::string>(), "CSV manual headers string")
             ("csv_files",po::value<vector<string> >(),"CSV files to index: file1 file2 ...fileN")
@@ -115,10 +113,6 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
         {
             separator = vm["separator"].as<std::string>();
         }
-        if (vm.count("escape"))
-        {
-            separator = vm["escape"].as<std::string>();
-        }
         if (vm.count("quote"))
         {
             separator = vm["quote"].as<std::string>();
@@ -176,6 +170,9 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
             continue;
         }
 
+        mapnik::util::trim(quote);
+        if (quote.empty()) quote = "\"";
+
         auto file_length = detail::file_length(csv_file);
         // set back to start
         csv_file.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
@@ -187,23 +184,17 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
         csv_file.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
         // get first line
         std::string csv_line;
-        csv_utils::getline_csv(csv_file, csv_line, newline, quote[0] );
+        csv_utils::getline_csv(csv_file, csv_line, newline, quote.front());
         mapnik::util::trim(separator);
         if (separator.empty())  separator = detail::detect_separator(csv_line);
         csv_file.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);
-
-        mapnik::util::trim(escape);
-        if (escape.empty()) escape = "\\";
-
-        mapnik::util::trim(quote);
-        if (quote.empty()) quote = "\"";
         int line_number = 1;
         detail::geometry_column_locator locator;
         std::vector<std::string> headers;
         if (!manual_headers.empty())
         {
             std::size_t index = 0;
-            headers = csv_utils::parse_line(manual_headers, separator);
+            headers = csv_utils::parse_line(manual_headers, separator, quote.front());
             for (auto const& header : headers)
             {
                 std::string val = mapnik::util::trim_copy(header);
@@ -213,11 +204,11 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
         }
         else // parse first line as headers
         {
-            while (csv_utils::getline_csv(csv_file,csv_line,newline, quote[0]))
+            while (csv_utils::getline_csv(csv_file,csv_line,newline, quote.front()))
             {
                 try
                 {
-                    headers = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, separator);
+                    headers = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, separator,quote.front());
                     // skip blank lines
                     if (headers.size() > 0 && headers[0].empty()) ++line_number;
                     else
@@ -281,7 +272,7 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
         using item_type = std::pair<box_type, std::pair<unsigned, unsigned>>;
         std::vector<item_type> boxes;
 
-        while (is_first_row || csv_utils::getline_csv(csv_file, csv_line, csv_file.widen(newline), quote[0]))
+        while (is_first_row || csv_utils::getline_csv(csv_file, csv_line, csv_file.widen(newline), quote.front()))
         {
             auto record_offset = pos;
             auto record_size = csv_line.length();
@@ -301,7 +292,7 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
             }
             try
             {
-                auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, separator);
+                auto values = csv_utils::parse_line(csv_line, separator, quote.front());
                 unsigned num_fields = values.size();
                 if (num_fields > num_headers)
                 {