diff --git a/tools/arkmanager b/tools/arkmanager
index d0c2bba..b3856a1 100755
--- a/tools/arkmanager
+++ b/tools/arkmanager
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ doStart() {
   if isTheServerRunning; then
     echo "The server is already running"
   else
-    ark_SessionName="${ark_SessionName:-${sessionname}}"
+    ark_SessionName=`printf "%q" "${ark_SessionName:-${sessionname}}"` # Escape SessionName to prevent conflicts in the startup sequence
     ark_Port="${ark_Port:-${arkserverport}}"
     ark_QueryPort="${ark_QueryPort:-${arkqueryport}}"
     ark_ServerPassword="${ark_ServerPassword:-${arkserverpass}}"