diff --git a/git/config.py b/git/config.py
index c71bb8ca4..620f7b103 100644
--- a/git/config.py
+++ b/git/config.py
@@ -245,8 +245,28 @@ def _read(self, fp, fpname):
 							if pos != -1 and optval[pos-1].isspace():
 								optval = optval[:pos]
 						optval = optval.strip()
-						if optval == '""':
-							optval = ''
+						
+						# Remove paired unescaped-quotes
+						unquoted_optval = ''
+						escaped = False
+						in_quote = False
+						for c in optval:
+							if not escaped and c == '"':
+								in_quote = not in_quote
+							else:
+								escaped = (c == '\\') and not escaped
+								unquoted_optval += c
+						
+						if in_quote:
+							if not e:
+								e = cp.ParsingError(fpname)
+							e.append(lineno, repr(line))
+						
+						optval = unquoted_optval
+						
+						optval = optval.replace('\\\\', '\\') # Unescape backslashes
+						optval = optval.replace(r'\"', '"') # Unescape quotes
+						
 						optname = self.optionxform(optname.rstrip())
 						cursect[optname] = optval
 					else:
@@ -303,7 +323,11 @@ def write_section(name, section_dict):
 			fp.write("[%s]\n" % name)
 			for (key, value) in section_dict.items():
 				if key != "__name__":
-					fp.write("\t%s = %s\n" % (key, str(value).replace('\n', '\n\t')))
+					value = str(value)
+					value = value.replace('\\', '\\\\') # Escape backslashes
+					value = value.replace('"', r'\"') # Escape quotes
+					value = value.replace('\n', '\n\t')
+					fp.write("\t%s = %s\n" % (key, value))
 				# END if key is not __name__
 		# END section writing 
 		
diff --git a/git/test/fixtures/git_config_values b/git/test/fixtures/git_config_values
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ba039ef8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/git/test/fixtures/git_config_values
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[values]
+	backslash = some\\data
+	quote = this is a \"quoted value\"
+	quoted = "all" "your \"quotes\" a"re bel"ong to """"us"
diff --git a/git/test/test_config.py b/git/test/test_config.py
index d2e199e31..b37db290e 100644
--- a/git/test/test_config.py
+++ b/git/test/test_config.py
@@ -101,4 +101,28 @@ def test_base(self):
         # it raises if there is no default though
         self.failUnlessRaises(NoSectionError, r_config.get_value, "doesnt", "exist")
         
-        
+    def test_values(self):
+        file_obj = self._to_memcache(fixture_path("git_config_values"))
+        w_config = GitConfigParser(file_obj, read_only = False)
+        w_config.write() # enforce writing
+        orig_value = file_obj.getvalue()
+
+        # Reading must unescape backslashes
+        backslash = w_config.get('values', 'backslash')
+        assert backslash == r'some\data'
+
+        # Reading must unescape quotes
+        quote = w_config.get('values', 'quote')
+        assert quote == 'this is a "quoted value"'
+
+        # Reading must remove surrounding quotes
+        quoted = w_config.get('values', 'quoted')
+        assert quoted == 'all your "quotes" are belong to us'
+
+        # Writing must escape backslashes and quotes
+        w_config.set('values', 'backslash', backslash)
+        w_config.set('values', 'quote', quote)
+        w_config.write() # enforce writing
+
+        # Contents shouldn't differ
+        assert file_obj.getvalue() == orig_value