diff --git a/lib/whenever/job.rb b/lib/whenever/job.rb
index 6f095d6..5b3dfb2 100644
--- a/lib/whenever/job.rb
+++ b/lib/whenever/job.rb
@@ -16,25 +16,34 @@ module Whenever
       template = @options[:template].dup
       
       template.gsub(/:\w+/) do |key|
-        if key == ':task' && template.index("':task'")
-          escape_single_quotes(@options[:task])
-        elsif key == ':task' && template.index('":task"')
-          escape_double_quotes(@options[:task])
+
+        single_quote = "'"
+        double_quote = '"'
+
+        char_before = $`[-1..-1]
+        char_after = $'[0..0]
+
+        option = @options[key.sub(':', '').to_sym]
+
+        if char_before == single_quote && char_after == single_quote
+          escape_single_quotes(option)
+        elsif char_after == double_quote && char_after == double_quote
+          escape_double_quotes(option)
         else
-          @options[key.sub(':', '').to_sym]
+          option
         end
       end
     end
     
   protected
-  
+
     def escape_single_quotes(str)
-      str.gsub(/'/, %q('\''))
+      str.gsub(/'/) { "'\\''" }
     end
     
     def escape_double_quotes(str)
-      str.gsub(/"/, %q(\"))
+      str.gsub(/"/) { '\"' }
     end
     
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/lib/whenever/job_types/default.rb b/lib/whenever/job_types/default.rb
index 2eaf56e..2a918dd 100644
--- a/lib/whenever/job_types/default.rb
+++ b/lib/whenever/job_types/default.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-job_type :command, ':task'
-job_type :runner,  'cd :path && script/runner -e :environment ":task"'
-job_type :rake,    'cd :path && RAILS_ENV=:environment /usr/bin/env rake :task'
\ No newline at end of file
+job_type :command, %(:task)
+job_type :runner,  %(cd :path && script/runner -e :environment ':task')
+job_type :rake,    %(cd :path && RAILS_ENV=:environment /usr/bin/env rake :task)
diff --git a/test/job_test.rb b/test/job_test.rb
index 8cda6af..cd878aa 100644
--- a/test/job_test.rb
+++ b/test/job_test.rb
@@ -18,14 +18,20 @@ class JobTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       assert_equal %q("abc123"), job.output
     end
     
-    should "output escaped single quotes in :task when it's wrapped in them" do
-      job = new_job(:template => "outside ':task' outside", :task => "'inside'")
-      assert_equal %q(outside ''\''inside'\''' outside), job.output
+    should "output escaped single quotes in when it's wrapped in them" do
+      job = new_job(
+        :template => "before ':foo' after",
+        :foo => "quote -> ' <- quote"
+      )
+      assert_equal %q(before 'quote -> '\'' <- quote' after), job.output
     end
     
-    should "output escaped double quotes in :task when it's wrapped in them" do
-      job = new_job(:template => 'outside ":task" outside', :task => '"inside"')
-      assert_equal %q(outside "\"inside"\" outside), job.output
+    should "output escaped double quotes when it's wrapped in them" do
+      job = new_job(
+        :template => 'before ":foo" after',
+        :foo => 'quote -> " <- quote'
+      )
+      assert_equal %q(before "quote -> \" <- quote" after), job.output
     end
   end
 
@@ -35,4 +41,4 @@ private
     Whenever::Job.new(options)
   end
   
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/test/output_at_test.rb b/test/output_at_test.rb
index 8131b28..95ce0bf 100644
--- a/test/output_at_test.rb
+++ b/test/output_at_test.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class OutputAtTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using one entry because the times are aligned" do
-      assert_match '2 5,15 * * 1,3,5 cd /your/path && script/runner -e production "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match %(2 5,15 * * 1,3,5 cd /your/path && script/runner -e production 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -168,9 +168,9 @@ class OutputAtTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     
     should "output all of the commands @daily" do
       assert_match '@daily cd /your/path && RAILS_ENV=production /usr/bin/env rake blah:blah', @output
-      assert_match '@daily cd /your/path && script/runner -e production "runner_1"', @output
+      assert_match %(@daily cd /your/path && script/runner -e production 'runner_1'), @output
       assert_match '@daily command_1', @output
-      assert_match '@daily cd /your/path && script/runner -e production "runner_2"', @output
+      assert_match %(@daily cd /your/path && script/runner -e production 'runner_2'), @output
       assert_match '@daily command_2', @output
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/output_runner_test.rb b/test/output_runner_test.rb
index 9bb1411..de61012 100644
--- a/test/output_runner_test.rb
+++ b/test/output_runner_test.rb
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       <<-file
         set :path, '/my/path'
         every 2.hours do
-          runner "blahblah"
+          runner 'blahblah'
         end
       file
     end
     
     should "output the runner using that path" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /my/path && script/runner -e production "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /my/path && script/runner -e production 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using that path" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /some/other/path && script/runner -e production "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /some/other/path && script/runner -e production 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       @output = Whenever.cron \
       <<-file
         every 2.hours do
-          runner "blahblah"
+          runner 'blahblah'
         end
       file
     end
     
     should "output the runner using that path" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /my/path && script/runner -e production "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /my/path && script/runner -e production 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "use the path" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /my/path && script/runner -e production "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /my/path && script/runner -e production 'blahblah'), @output
       assert_no_match /\/rails\/path/, @output
     end
   end
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using that environment" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /my/path && script/runner -e silly "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /my/path && script/runner -e silly 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using that environment" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /my/path && script/runner -e serious "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /my/path && script/runner -e serious 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using the override environment" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /my/path && script/runner -e serious "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /my/path && script/runner -e serious 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using the overridden path and environment" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /serious/path && script/runner -e serious "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /serious/path && script/runner -e serious 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using the overridden path and environment" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /serious/path && script/runner -e serious "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /serious/path && script/runner -e serious 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end
   
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class OutputRunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
     
     should "output the runner using the original environmnet" do
-      assert_match two_hours + ' cd /silly/path && script/runner -e silly "blahblah"', @output
+      assert_match two_hours + %( cd /silly/path && script/runner -e silly 'blahblah'), @output
     end
   end