diff --git a/modules/programs/kakoune.nix b/modules/programs/kakoune.nix
index d2fd8eb1..3c234915 100644
--- a/modules/programs/kakoune.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/kakoune.nix
@@ -506,12 +506,22 @@ let
       ];
 
     showWhitespaceOptions = with cfg.config.showWhitespace;
-      concatStrings [
-        (optionalString (tab != null) " -tab ${tab}")
-        (optionalString (tabStop != null) " -tabpad ${tabStop}")
-        (optionalString (space != null) " -spc ${space}")
-        (optionalString (nonBreakingSpace != null) " -nbsp ${nonBreakingSpace}")
-        (optionalString (lineFeed != null) " -lf ${lineFeed}")
+      let
+        quoteSep = sep:
+          if sep == "'" then
+            ''"'"''
+          else if lib.strings.stringLength sep == 1 then
+            "'${sep}'"
+          else
+            sep; # backwards compat, in case sep == "' '", etc.
+
+      in concatStrings [
+        (optionalString (tab != null) " -tab ${quoteSep tab}")
+        (optionalString (tabStop != null) " -tabpad ${quoteSep tabStop}")
+        (optionalString (space != null) " -spc ${quoteSep space}")
+        (optionalString (nonBreakingSpace != null)
+          " -nbsp ${quoteSep nonBreakingSpace}")
+        (optionalString (lineFeed != null) " -lf ${quoteSep lineFeed}")
       ];
 
     uiOptions = with cfg.config.ui;
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/default.nix b/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/default.nix
index 9d88abf4..9f906a94 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/default.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/default.nix
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-{ kakoune-whitespace-highlighter = ./whitespace-highlighter.nix; }
+{
+  kakoune-whitespace-highlighter = ./whitespace-highlighter.nix;
+  kakoune-whitespace-highlighter-corner-cases =
+    ./whitespace-highlighter-corner-cases.nix;
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter-corner-cases.nix b/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter-corner-cases.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..142aaac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter-corner-cases.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+
+{
+  config = {
+    programs.kakoune = {
+      enable = true;
+      config.showWhitespace = {
+        enable = true;
+        lineFeed = ''"'';
+        space = " ";
+        nonBreakingSpace = "' '"; # backwards compat
+        tab = "'";
+        # tabStop = <default>
+      };
+    };
+
+    nmt.script = ''
+      assertFileExists home-files/.config/kak/kakrc
+      assertFileContains home-files/.config/kak/kakrc \
+        "add-highlighter global/ show-whitespaces -tab \"'\" -spc ' ' -nbsp ' ' -lf '\"'"
+    '';
+  };
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter.nix b/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter.nix
index edeb6b52..514c26a1 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/kakoune/whitespace-highlighter.nix
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ with lib;
     nmt.script = ''
       assertFileExists home-files/.config/kak/kakrc
       assertFileContains home-files/.config/kak/kakrc \
-        "add-highlighter global/ show-whitespaces -tab 4 -tabpad 5 -spc 2 -nbsp 3 -lf 1"
+        "add-highlighter global/ show-whitespaces -tab '4' -tabpad '5' -spc '2' -nbsp '3' -lf '1'"
     '';
   };
 }