diff --git a/packages/cli_tools/lib/src/better_command_runner/completion/carapace_generator.dart b/packages/cli_tools/lib/src/better_command_runner/completion/carapace_generator.dart
index db883d3..5605635 100644
--- a/packages/cli_tools/lib/src/better_command_runner/completion/carapace_generator.dart
+++ b/packages/cli_tools/lib/src/better_command_runner/completion/carapace_generator.dart
@@ -113,9 +113,10 @@ class CarapaceYamlGenerator implements UsageRepresentationGenerator {
       attributes += '!';
     }
 
+    final optionHelp = _formatYamlStringValue(option.helpText ?? '');
     _writeWithIndent(
       out,
-      '${names.join(', ')}$attributes: ${option.helpText ?? ''}',
+      '${names.join(', ')}$attributes: $optionHelp',
       indentLevel,
     );
 
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ class CarapaceYamlGenerator implements UsageRepresentationGenerator {
       if (flagOption.negatable && !flagOption.hideNegatedUsage) {
         _writeWithIndent(
           out,
-          '--no-${option.argName}$attributes: ${option.helpText ?? ''}',
+          '--no-${option.argName}$attributes: $optionHelp',
           indentLevel,
         );
       }
@@ -191,4 +192,14 @@ class CarapaceYamlGenerator implements UsageRepresentationGenerator {
         return [];
     }
   }
+
+  static String _formatYamlStringValue(final String value) {
+    final str = value
+        .replaceAll(r'\', r'\\')
+        .replaceAll(r'"', r'\"')
+        .replaceAll('\n', r'\n')
+        .replaceAll('\t', r'\t')
+        .replaceAll('\r', r'\r');
+    return '"$str"';
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli_tools/test/better_command_runner/completion_test.dart b/packages/cli_tools/test/better_command_runner/completion_test.dart
index 822ee56..c2fcf39 100644
--- a/packages/cli_tools/test/better_command_runner/completion_test.dart
+++ b/packages/cli_tools/test/better_command_runner/completion_test.dart
@@ -153,16 +153,16 @@ void main() {
             r'# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://carapace.sh/schemas/command.json',
             'name: test',
             'persistentFlags:',
-            '  -q, --quiet: Suppress all cli output. Is overridden by  -v, --verbose.',
-            '  -v, --verbose: Prints additional information useful for development. Overrides --q, --quiet.',
+            '  -q, --quiet: "Suppress all cli output. Is overridden by  -v, --verbose."',
+            '  -v, --verbose: "Prints additional information useful for development. Overrides --q, --quiet."',
             'commands:',
             '  - name: completion',
             '    commands:',
             '      - name: generate',
             '      flags:',
-            '        -t, --target=!: The target tool format',
-            '        -e, --exec-name=: Override the name of the executable',
-            '        -f, --file=: Write the specification to a file instead of stdout',
+            '        -t, --target=!: "The target tool format"',
+            '        -e, --exec-name=: "Override the name of the executable"',
+            '        -f, --file=: "Write the specification to a file instead of stdout"',
             '      completion:',
             '        flag:',
             '          target: ["completely", "carapace"]',