diff --git a/zqd/handlers_test.go b/zqd/handlers_test.go
index 15f1e797cf..2b9272845a 100644
--- a/zqd/handlers_test.go
+++ b/zqd/handlers_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -182,6 +183,22 @@ func TestSpaceDelete(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestURLEncodingSupport(t *testing.T) {
+	c := newCore(t)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(c.Root)
+
+	rawSpace := "raw %<>space.brim"
+	encodedSpaceURL := fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:9867/space/%s", url.PathEscape(rawSpace))
+
+	createSpace(t, c, rawSpace, "")
+
+	res := httpRequest(t, zqd.NewHandler(c), "GET", encodedSpaceURL, nil)
+	require.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, res.StatusCode)
+
+	res = httpRequest(t, zqd.NewHandler(c), "DELETE", encodedSpaceURL, nil)
+	require.Equal(t, http.StatusNoContent, res.StatusCode)
+}
+
 func TestNoEndSlashSupport(t *testing.T) {
 	c := newCore(t)
 	defer os.RemoveAll(c.Root)
diff --git a/zqd/server.go b/zqd/server.go
index aad13a1b04..5344c5c1a9 100644
--- a/zqd/server.go
+++ b/zqd/server.go
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ var Version VersionMessage
 
 func NewHandler(root *Core) http.Handler {
 	r := mux.NewRouter()
-	r = r.UseEncodedPath()
 	r.Handle("/space", wrapRoot(root, handleSpaceList)).Methods("GET")
 	r.Handle("/space", wrapRoot(root, handleSpacePost)).Methods("POST")
 	r.Handle("/space/{space}", wrapRoot(root, handleSpaceGet)).Methods("GET")