diff --git a/cmd-parse.y b/cmd-parse.y
index 65979635f..9a1fce052 100644
--- a/cmd-parse.y
+++ b/cmd-parse.y
@@ -756,65 +756,6 @@ cmd_parse_from_arguments_add(struct cmd_parse_node *seq,
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&(*cmd)->children, child, entry);
 }
 
-/*
- * Add one argv string, splitting unescaped ; as command separators:
- *
- * A single ; starts another command in the same sequence.
- * A double ;; starts another sequence.
- * A \; is kept as a literal semicolon in the argument.
- */
-static void
-cmd_parse_from_argument_string(struct cmd_parse_node *root,
-    struct cmd_parse_node **seq, struct cmd_parse_node **cmd, const char *s)
-{
-	char			*buf;
-	size_t			 len = 0;
-	struct cmd_parse_node	*child;
-	const char		*cp;
-
-	buf = xmalloc(1);
-	*buf = '\0';
-
-	for (cp = s; *cp != '\0'; cp++) {
-		if (*cp == '\\' && cp[1] != '\0') {
-			cp++;
-			buf = xrealloc(buf, len + 2);
-			buf[len++] = *cp;
-			buf[len] = '\0';
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		if (*cp != ';') {
-			buf = xrealloc(buf, len + 2);
-			buf[len++] = *cp;
-			buf[len] = '\0';
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		if (len != 0) {
-			child = cmd_parse_new_string_node(buf, 0);
-			cmd_parse_from_arguments_add(*seq, cmd, child);
-			len = 0;
-			*buf = '\0';
-		}
-
-		if (cp[1] == ';') {
-			*cmd = NULL;
-			*seq = cmd_parse_new_node(CMD_PARSE_SEQUENCE, 0);
-			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&root->children, *seq, entry);
-			cp++;
-		} else
-			*cmd = NULL;
-	}
-
-	if (len != 0) {
-		child = cmd_parse_new_string_node(buf, 0);
-		cmd_parse_from_arguments_add(*seq, cmd, child);
-	}
-
-	free(buf);
-}
-
 /* Build a parse tree directly from existing argument values. */
 struct cmd_parse_tree *
 cmd_parse_from_arguments(struct args_value *values, u_int count)
@@ -822,18 +763,37 @@ cmd_parse_from_arguments(struct args_value *values, u_int count)
 	struct cmd_parse_tree	*new;
 	struct cmd_parse_node	*root, *seq, *cmd = NULL, *child;
 	u_int			 i;
+	char			*copy;
+	size_t			 size;
+	int			 end;
 
 	root = cmd_parse_new_node(CMD_PARSE_ROOT, 0);
 	seq = cmd_parse_new_node(CMD_PARSE_SEQUENCE, 0);
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&root->children, seq, entry);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+		end = 0;
+
 		switch (values[i].type) {
 		case ARGS_NONE:
 			continue;
 		case ARGS_STRING:
-			cmd_parse_from_argument_string(root, &seq, &cmd,
-			    values[i].string);
+			copy = xstrdup(values[i].string);
+			size = strlen(copy);
+
+			if (size != 0 && copy[size - 1] == ';') {
+				copy[--size] = '\0';
+				if (size > 0 && copy[size - 1] == '\\')
+					copy[size - 1] = ';';
+				else
+					end = 1;
+			}
+
+			if (!end || size != 0) {
+				child = cmd_parse_new_string_node(copy, 0);
+				cmd_parse_from_arguments_add(seq, &cmd, child);
+			}
+			free(copy);
 			break;
 		case ARGS_COMMANDS:
 			child = cmd_parse_new_commands_node(values[i].cmd, 0);
@@ -842,6 +802,9 @@ cmd_parse_from_arguments(struct args_value *values, u_int count)
 		default:
 			fatalx("unknown argument type");
 		}
+
+		if (end)
+			cmd = NULL;
 	}
 
 	new = xcalloc(1, sizeof *new);