diff --git a/lib/src/sql/escape.rs b/lib/src/sql/escape.rs
index 70c5298e..36269064 100644
--- a/lib/src/sql/escape.rs
+++ b/lib/src/sql/escape.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 use crate::sql::common::val_char;
 
+const BRACKET_L: char = '⟨';
+const BRACKET_R: char = '⟩';
+
 const DOUBLE: char = '"';
 const DOUBLE_ESC: &str = r#"\""#;
 
@@ -11,6 +14,16 @@ pub fn escape_strand(s: &str) -> String {
 	format!("{}{}{}", DOUBLE, s, DOUBLE)
 }
 
+#[inline]
+pub fn escape_id(s: &str) -> String {
+	for x in s.chars() {
+		if !val_char(x) {
+			return format!("{}{}{}", BRACKET_L, s, BRACKET_R);
+		}
+	}
+	s.to_owned()
+}
+
 #[inline]
 pub fn escape_key(s: &str) -> String {
 	for x in s.chars() {
diff --git a/lib/src/sql/id.rs b/lib/src/sql/id.rs
index a2b3beb9..a5004f6d 100644
--- a/lib/src/sql/id.rs
+++ b/lib/src/sql/id.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::cnf::ID_CHARS;
 use crate::sql::error::IResult;
-use crate::sql::escape::escape_ident;
+use crate::sql::escape::escape_id;
 use crate::sql::ident::ident_raw;
 use crate::sql::number::integer;
 use nanoid::nanoid;
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Id {
 	fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
 		match self {
 			Id::Number(v) => write!(f, "{}", v),
-			Id::String(v) => write!(f, "{}", escape_ident(v)),
+			Id::String(v) => write!(f, "{}", escape_id(v)),
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/sql/thing.rs b/lib/src/sql/thing.rs
index de724cfb..ac51ea81 100644
--- a/lib/src/sql/thing.rs
+++ b/lib/src/sql/thing.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::sql::error::IResult;
-use crate::sql::escape::escape_ident;
+use crate::sql::escape::escape_id;
 use crate::sql::id::{id, Id};
 use crate::sql::ident::ident_raw;
 use crate::sql::serde::is_internal_serialization;
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ impl Thing {
 
 impl fmt::Display for Thing {
 	fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
-		write!(f, "{}:{}", escape_ident(&self.tb), self.id)
+		write!(f, "{}:{}", escape_id(&self.tb), self.id)
 	}
 }