diff --git a/man/xmonad.hs b/man/xmonad.hs
index baf5189..4f5fbeb 100644
--- a/man/xmonad.hs
+++ b/man/xmonad.hs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ myKeys conf@(XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modm}) = M.fromList $
     , ((modm              , xK_q     ), spawn "xmonad --recompile; xmonad --restart")
 
     -- Run xmessage with a summary of the default keybindings (useful for beginners)
-    , ((modm .|. shiftMask, xK_slash ), spawn ("echo \"" ++ help ++ "\" | xmessage -file -"))
+    , ((modm .|. shiftMask, xK_slash ), spawn ("printf " ++ show help ++ " | xmessage -file -"))
     ]
     ++
 
diff --git a/src/XMonad/Config.hs b/src/XMonad/Config.hs
index cd655d5..c377ff1 100644
--- a/src/XMonad/Config.hs
+++ b/src/XMonad/Config.hs
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ keys conf@(XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modMask}) = M.fromList $
         , (f, m) <- [(W.view, 0), (W.shift, shiftMask)]]
   where
     helpCommand :: X ()
-    helpCommand = spawn ("echo " ++ show help ++ " | xmessage -file -")
+    helpCommand = spawn ("printf " ++ show help ++ " | xmessage -file -")
 
 -- | Mouse bindings: default actions bound to mouse events
 mouseBindings :: XConfig Layout -> M.Map (KeyMask, Button) (Window -> X ())