diff --git a/annotations/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/Annotations.scala b/annotations/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/Annotations.scala
index f979823f..3235e029 100644
--- a/annotations/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/Annotations.scala
+++ b/annotations/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/Annotations.scala
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ object ValueDescription {
 }
 
 /** Help message for the annotated argument
+  * @messageMd
+  *   not used by case-app itself, only there as a convenience for case-app users
   */
-final case class HelpMessage(message: String) extends StaticAnnotation
+final case class HelpMessage(message: String, messageMd: String = "") extends StaticAnnotation
 
 /** Name for the annotated case class of arguments E.g. MyApp
   */
diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Bash.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Bash.scala
index e7a0f397..ea223ccf 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Bash.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Bash.scala
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package caseapp.core.complete
 
+import scala.util.Properties
+
 object Bash {
 
   val shellName: String =
@@ -19,7 +21,7 @@ object Bash {
   }
 
   private def escape(s: String): String =
-    s.replace("\"", "\\\"")
+    s.replace("\"", "\\\"").replace("`", "\\`").split("\\r?\\n").headOption.getOrElse("")
   def print(items: Seq[CompletionItem]): String = {
     val newLine     = System.lineSeparator()
     val b           = new StringBuilder
diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Zsh.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Zsh.scala
index 3a8db7e1..d37040d2 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Zsh.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/caseapp/core/complete/Zsh.scala
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import java.security.MessageDigest
 import dataclass.data
 
 import scala.collection.mutable
+import scala.util.Properties
 
 object Zsh {
 
@@ -34,14 +35,15 @@ object Zsh {
     else
       res
   }
-
+  private def escape(s: String): String =
+    s.replace("'", "\\'").replace("`", "\\`").split("\\r?\\n").headOption.getOrElse("")
   private def defs(item: CompletionItem): Seq[String] = {
     val (options, arguments) = item.values.partition(_.startsWith("-"))
     val optionsOutput =
       if (options.isEmpty) Nil
       else {
         val escapedOptions = options
-        val desc           = item.description.map(":" + _.replace("'", "\\'")).getOrElse("")
+        val desc           = item.description.map(desc => ":" + escape(desc)).getOrElse("")
         options.map { opt =>
           "\"" + opt + desc + "\""
         }
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ object Zsh {
     val argumentsOutput =
       if (arguments.isEmpty) Nil
       else {
-        val desc = item.description.map(":" + _.replace("'", "\\'")).getOrElse("")
+        val desc = item.description.map(desc => ":" + escape(desc)).getOrElse("")
         arguments.map("'" + _.replace(":", "\\:") + desc + "'")
       }
     optionsOutput ++ argumentsOutput
diff --git a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionDefinitions.scala b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionDefinitions.scala
index d599ecd2..59180e7c 100644
--- a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionDefinitions.scala
+++ b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionDefinitions.scala
@@ -59,18 +59,30 @@ object CompletionDefinitions {
       @Name("g") @HelpMessage("A pattern") glob: String = "",
       @Name("d") count: Int = 0
     )
+    case class BackTickOptions(
+      @HelpMessage(
+        """A pattern with backtick `--`
+          |with multiline
+          |""".stripMargin
+      ) backtick: String = "",
+      @Name("d") count: Int = 0
+    )
     object First extends Command[FirstOptions] {
       def run(options: FirstOptions, args: RemainingArgs): Unit = ???
     }
     object Second extends Command[SecondOptions] {
       def run(options: SecondOptions, args: RemainingArgs): Unit = ???
     }
+    object BackTick extends Command[BackTickOptions] {
+      def run(options: BackTickOptions, args: RemainingArgs): Unit = ???
+    }
 
     object Prog extends CommandsEntryPoint {
       def progName = "prog"
       def commands = Seq(
         First,
-        Second
+        Second,
+        BackTick
       )
     }
   }
diff --git a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionTests.scala b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionTests.scala
index 077a9651..ac843153 100644
--- a/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionTests.scala
+++ b/tests/shared/src/test/scala/caseapp/CompletionTests.scala
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package caseapp
 
-import caseapp.core.complete.CompletionItem
+import caseapp.core.complete.{Bash, CompletionItem, Zsh}
 import utest._
 
 object CompletionTests extends TestSuite {
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ object CompletionTests extends TestSuite {
       test {
         val res = Prog.complete(Seq(""), 0)
         val expected = List(
+          CompletionItem("back-tick", None, Nil),
           CompletionItem("first", None, Nil),
           CompletionItem("second", None, Nil)
         )
@@ -140,6 +141,33 @@ object CompletionTests extends TestSuite {
         )
         assert(res == expected)
       }
+
+      test("bash") {
+        val res = Prog.complete(Seq("back-tick", "-"), 1)
+        val expected = List(
+          CompletionItem("--backtick", Some("A pattern with backtick `--`"), Nil),
+          CompletionItem("--count", None, List("-d"))
+        )
+        assert(res == expected)
+
+        val compRely         = Bash.print(res)
+        val expectedCompRely = """"--backtick  -- A pattern with backtick \`--\`"""".stripMargin
+
+        assert(compRely.contains(expectedCompRely))
+      }
+      test("zsh") {
+        val res = Prog.complete(Seq("back-tick", "-"), 1)
+        val expected = List(
+          CompletionItem("--backtick", Some("A pattern with backtick `--`"), Nil),
+          CompletionItem("--count", None, List("-d"))
+        )
+        assert(res == expected)
+
+        val compRely         = Zsh.print(res)
+        val expectedCompRely = """"--backtick:A pattern with backtick \`--\`"""".stripMargin
+
+        assert(compRely.contains(expectedCompRely))
+      }
     }
 
     test("commands with default") {