diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/commands/MIGDBSetArgs.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/commands/MIGDBSetArgs.java
index 620de2d873e..8152b46825b 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/commands/MIGDBSetArgs.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/commands/MIGDBSetArgs.java
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@
  *
  * Contributors:
  *     Ericsson - Initial API and implementation
- *	   Sergey Prigogin (Google)
+ *     Sergey Prigogin (Google)
  *     Marc Khouzam (Ericsson) - Support empty arguments (bug 412471)
  *******************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.mi.service.command.commands;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.mi.service.IMIContainerDMContext;
 
 /**
@@ -23,25 +24,55 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.mi.service.IMIContainerDMContext;
  */
 public class MIGDBSetArgs extends MIGDBSet {
 
-    /** @since 4.0 */
+	/** @since 4.0 */
 	public MIGDBSetArgs(IMIContainerDMContext dmc) {
-        this(dmc, new String[0]);
-    }
+		this(dmc, new String[0]);
+	}
 
-    /** @since 4.0 */
-    public MIGDBSetArgs(IMIContainerDMContext dmc, String[] arguments) {
-        super(dmc, null);
+	/** @since 4.0 */
+	public MIGDBSetArgs(IMIContainerDMContext dmc, String[] arguments) {
+		super(dmc, null);
+		fParameters = new ArrayList<Adjustable>();
+		fParameters.add(new MIStandardParameterAdjustable("args")); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		for (int i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) {
+			fParameters.add(new MIArgumentAdjustable(arguments[i]));
+		}
+	}
 
-    	String[] cmdArray = new String[arguments.length + 1];
-    	cmdArray[0] = "args"; //$NON-NLS-1$
-    	for (int i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) {
-    		if (arguments[i].isEmpty()) {
-    			// An empty parameter can be passed with two single quotes
-    			cmdArray[i + 1] = "''"; //$NON-NLS-1$
-    		} else {
-    			cmdArray[i + 1] = arguments[i];
-    		}
-    	}
-    	setParameters(cmdArray);
-    }
+	private static class MIArgumentAdjustable extends MICommandAdjustable {
+
+		public MIArgumentAdjustable(String value) {
+			super(value);
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public String getAdjustedValue() {
+			// Replace and concatenate all occurrences of:
+			// ' with "'"
+			//   (as ' is used to surround everything else
+			//    it has to be quoted or escaped)
+			// newline character with $'\n'
+			//   (\n is treated literally within quotes or
+			//    as just 'n' otherwise, whilst supplying
+			//    the newline character literally ends the command)
+			// Anything in between and around these occurrences
+			// is surrounded by single quotes.
+			//   (to prevent bash from carrying out substitutions
+			//    or running arbitrary code with backticks or $())
+			StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
+			builder.append('\'');
+			for (int j = 0; j < value.length(); j++) {
+				char c = value.charAt(j);
+				if (c == '\'') {
+					builder.append("'\"'\"'"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+				} else if (c == '\n') {
+					builder.append("'$'\\n''"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+				} else {
+					builder.append(c);
+				}
+			}
+			builder.append('\'');
+			return builder.toString();
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/tests/LaunchConfigurationAndRestartTest.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/tests/LaunchConfigurationAndRestartTest.java
index e59f3ea2794..e8ec515d434 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/tests/LaunchConfigurationAndRestartTest.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/tests/LaunchConfigurationAndRestartTest.java
@@ -552,20 +552,12 @@ public class LaunchConfigurationAndRestartTest extends BaseTestCase {
     					fExpService.getFormattedValueContext(argcDmc, MIExpressions.DETAILS_FORMAT), rm);
     		}
     	};
-    	try {
-    		fExpService.getExecutor().execute(query);
-    		FormattedValueDMData value = query.get(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+   		fExpService.getExecutor().execute(query);
+   		FormattedValueDMData value = query.get(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
     		
-    		// Argc should be 2: the program name and the one arguments
-    		assertTrue("Expected 2 but got " + value.getFormattedValue(),
-    				value.getFormattedValue().trim().equals("2"));
-    	} catch (InterruptedException e) {
-    		fail(e.getMessage());
-    	} catch (ExecutionException e) {
-    		fail(e.getCause().getMessage());
-    	} catch (TimeoutException e) {
-    		fail(e.getMessage());
-    	}
+   		// Argc should be 2: the program name and the one arguments
+   		assertTrue("Expected 2 but got " + value.getFormattedValue(),
+   				value.getFormattedValue().trim().equals("2"));
     	
     	// Check that argv is also correct.
     	final IExpressionDMContext argvDmc = SyncUtil.createExpression(stoppedEvent.getDMContext(), "argv[argc-1]");
@@ -576,18 +568,64 @@ public class LaunchConfigurationAndRestartTest extends BaseTestCase {
     					fExpService.getFormattedValueContext(argvDmc, MIExpressions.DETAILS_FORMAT), rm);
     		}
     	};
-    	try {
-    		fExpService.getExecutor().execute(query2);
-    		FormattedValueDMData value = query2.get(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
-    		assertTrue("Expected \"" + argumentUsedByGDB + "\" but got " + value.getFormattedValue(),
-    				value.getFormattedValue().trim().endsWith(argumentUsedByGDB));
-    	} catch (InterruptedException e) {
-    		fail(e.getMessage());
-    	} catch (ExecutionException e) {
-    		fail(e.getCause().getMessage());
-    	} catch (TimeoutException e) {
-    		fail(e.getMessage());
-    	}
+    	fExpService.getExecutor().execute(query2);
+    	value = query2.get(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+   		assertTrue("Expected \"" + argumentUsedByGDB + "\" but got " + value.getFormattedValue(),
+   				value.getFormattedValue().trim().endsWith(argumentUsedByGDB));
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * This test will tell the launch to set some more arguments for the program.  We will
+     * then check that the program has the same arguments.
+     * See bug 474648
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testSettingArgumentsWithSpecialSymbols() throws Throwable {
+    	// Test that arguments are parsed correctly:
+    	// The string provided by the user is split into arguments on spaces
+    	// except for those inside quotation marks, double or single.
+    	// Any character within quotation marks or after the backslash character
+    	// is treated literally, whilst these special characters have to be
+    	// escaped explicitly to be recorded.
+    	// All other characters including semicolons, backticks, pipes, dollars and newlines
+    	// must be treated literally.
+    	String argumentToPreserveSpaces = "--abc=\"x;y;z\nsecondline: \"`date`$PS1\"`date | wc`\"";
+    	String argumentUsedByGDB = "\"--abc=x;y;z\\nsecondline: `date`$PS1`date | wc`\"";
+
+    	setLaunchAttribute(ICDTLaunchConfigurationConstants.ATTR_PROGRAM_ARGUMENTS, argumentToPreserveSpaces);
+    	doLaunch();
+
+    	MIStoppedEvent stoppedEvent = getInitialStoppedEvent();
+
+    	// Check that argc is correct
+    	final IExpressionDMContext argcDmc = SyncUtil.createExpression(stoppedEvent.getDMContext(), "argc");
+    	Query<FormattedValueDMData> query = new Query<FormattedValueDMData>() {
+    		@Override
+    		protected void execute(DataRequestMonitor<FormattedValueDMData> rm) {
+    			fExpService.getFormattedExpressionValue(
+    					fExpService.getFormattedValueContext(argcDmc, MIExpressions.DETAILS_FORMAT), rm);
+    		}
+    	};
+    	fExpService.getExecutor().execute(query);
+    	FormattedValueDMData value = query.get(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+    		
+    	// Argc should be 2: the program name and the four arguments.
+    	assertTrue("Expected 2 but got " + value.getFormattedValue(),
+    			value.getFormattedValue().trim().equals("2"));
+    	
+    	// Check that argv is also correct.
+    	final IExpressionDMContext argvDmc = SyncUtil.createExpression(stoppedEvent.getDMContext(), "argv[argc-1]");
+    	Query<FormattedValueDMData> query2 = new Query<FormattedValueDMData>() {
+    		@Override
+    		protected void execute(DataRequestMonitor<FormattedValueDMData> rm) {
+    			fExpService.getFormattedExpressionValue(
+    					fExpService.getFormattedValueContext(argvDmc, MIExpressions.DETAILS_FORMAT), rm);
+    		}
+    	};
+    	fExpService.getExecutor().execute(query2);
+    	value = query2.get(500, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+   		assertTrue("Expected \"" + argumentUsedByGDB + "\" but got " + value.getFormattedValue(),
+   				value.getFormattedValue().endsWith(argumentUsedByGDB));
     }
     
     /**