diff --git a/infer/src/base/CommandLineOption.ml b/infer/src/base/CommandLineOption.ml
index 4f8f96a01..a9784d425 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/CommandLineOption.ml
+++ b/infer/src/base/CommandLineOption.ml
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ let parse ?config_file ~usage action initial_command =
          environment contributes to the length of the command to be run. If the environment + CLI is
          too big, running any command will fail with a cryptic "exit code 127" error. Use an argfile
          to prevent this from happening *)
-      let file = Filename.temp_file "args_" "" in
+      let file = Filename.temp_file "args" "" in
       Out_channel.with_file file ~f:(fun oc -> Out_channel.output_lines oc argv_to_export) ;
       if not !keep_args_file then Utils.unlink_file_on_exit file ;
       "@" ^ file )
diff --git a/infer/src/base/Escape.ml b/infer/src/base/Escape.ml
index 1e130758e..3503f5700 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Escape.ml
+++ b/infer/src/base/Escape.ml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ open! IStd
 (** Escape a string for use in a CSV or XML file: replace reserved
     characters with escape sequences *)
 
+module F = Format
+
 (** apply a map function for escape sequences *)
 let escape_map map_fun s =
   let needs_escape = String.exists ~f:(fun c -> Option.is_some (map_fun c)) s in
@@ -134,3 +136,21 @@ let escape_double_quotes s = escape_map (function '"' -> Some "\\\"" | _ -> None
 
 let escape_in_single_quotes s =
   Printf.sprintf "'%s'" (escape_map (function '\'' -> Some "'\\''" | _ -> None) s)
+
+
+let escape_shell =
+  let no_quote_needed = Str.regexp "^[A-Za-z0-9-_%/:,.]+$" in
+  let easy_single_quotable = Str.regexp "^[^']+$" in
+  let easy_double_quotable = Str.regexp "^[^$`\\!]+$" in
+  function
+    | "" ->
+        "''"
+    | arg ->
+        if Str.string_match no_quote_needed arg 0 then arg
+        else if Str.string_match easy_single_quotable arg 0 then F.sprintf "'%s'" arg
+        else if Str.string_match easy_double_quotable arg 0 then
+          escape_double_quotes arg |> F.sprintf "\"%s\""
+        else
+          (* ends on-going single quote, output single quote inside double quotes, then open a new
+             single quote *)
+          escape_map (function '\'' -> Some "'\"'\"'" | _ -> None) arg |> F.sprintf "'%s'"
diff --git a/infer/src/base/Escape.mli b/infer/src/base/Escape.mli
index 0d13f5c40..a8eafba34 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Escape.mli
+++ b/infer/src/base/Escape.mli
@@ -37,3 +37,6 @@ val escape_double_quotes : string -> string
 
 val escape_in_single_quotes : string -> string
 (** put the string inside single quotes and escape the single quotes within that string *)
+
+val escape_shell : string -> string
+(** escape the string so it can be passed to the shell without remorse *)
diff --git a/infer/src/base/Pp.ml b/infer/src/base/Pp.ml
index 31f75bebd..a2ff12a35 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Pp.ml
+++ b/infer/src/base/Pp.ml
@@ -137,8 +137,7 @@ let to_string ~f fmt x = string fmt (f x)
 let cli_args fmt args =
   let pp_args fmt args =
     F.fprintf fmt "@[<hov2>  " ;
-    seq ~sep:"" ~print_env:{text with break_lines= true} string fmt
-      (List.map args ~f:Escape.escape_in_single_quotes) ;
+    seq ~sep:"" ~print_env:{text with break_lines= true} string fmt args ;
     F.fprintf fmt "@]@\n"
   in
   let rec pp_argfile_args in_argfiles fmt args =
diff --git a/infer/src/base/Utils.ml b/infer/src/base/Utils.ml
index b0bf641fa..4f7defdb0 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Utils.ml
+++ b/infer/src/base/Utils.ml
@@ -208,29 +208,8 @@ let with_process_in command read =
   do_finally_swallow_timeout ~f ~finally
 
 
-let shell_escape_command =
-  let no_quote_needed = Str.regexp "^[A-Za-z0-9-_%/:,.]+$" in
-  let easy_single_quotable = Str.regexp "^[^']+$" in
-  let easy_double_quotable = Str.regexp "^[^$`\\!]+$" in
-  let escape = function
-    | "" ->
-        "''"
-    | arg ->
-        if Str.string_match no_quote_needed arg 0 then arg
-        else if Str.string_match easy_single_quotable arg 0 then F.sprintf "'%s'" arg
-        else if Str.string_match easy_double_quotable arg 0 then
-          arg |> Escape.escape_double_quotes |> F.sprintf "\"%s\""
-        else
-          (* ends on-going single quote, output single quote inside double quotes, then open a new single
-       quote *)
-          arg |> Escape.escape_map (function '\'' -> Some "'\"'\"'" | _ -> None)
-          |> F.sprintf "'%s'"
-  in
-  fun cmd -> List.map ~f:escape cmd |> String.concat ~sep:" "
-
-
 let with_process_lines ~(debug: ('a, F.formatter, unit) format -> 'a) ~cmd ~tmp_prefix ~f =
-  let shell_cmd = shell_escape_command cmd in
+  let shell_cmd = List.map ~f:Escape.escape_shell cmd |> String.concat ~sep:" " in
   let verbose_err_file = Filename.temp_file tmp_prefix ".err" in
   let shell_cmd_redirected = Printf.sprintf "%s 2>'%s'" shell_cmd verbose_err_file in
   debug "Trying to execute: %s@\n%!" shell_cmd_redirected ;
diff --git a/infer/src/base/Utils.mli b/infer/src/base/Utils.mli
index a0b01e9ec..88b3f84e5 100644
--- a/infer/src/base/Utils.mli
+++ b/infer/src/base/Utils.mli
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ val echo_in : In_channel.t -> unit
 
 val with_process_in : string -> (In_channel.t -> 'a) -> 'a * Unix.Exit_or_signal.t
 
-val shell_escape_command : string list -> string
-
 val with_process_lines :
   debug:((string -> unit, Format.formatter, unit) format -> string -> unit) -> cmd:string list
   -> tmp_prefix:string -> f:(string list -> 'res) -> 'res
diff --git a/infer/src/integration/Buck.ml b/infer/src/integration/Buck.ml
index 6a0071f77..6549a9e76 100644
--- a/infer/src/integration/Buck.ml
+++ b/infer/src/integration/Buck.ml
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ let rec exceed_length ~max = function
 
 let store_args_in_file args =
   if exceed_length ~max:max_command_line_length args then (
-    let file = Filename.temp_file "buck_targets_" ".txt" in
+    let file = Filename.temp_file "buck_targets" ".txt" in
     let write_args outc = Out_channel.output_string outc (String.concat ~sep:"\n" args) in
     let () = Utils.with_file_out file ~f:write_args in
     L.(debug Capture Quiet) "Buck targets options stored in file '%s'@\n" file ;
diff --git a/infer/src/integration/CaptureCompilationDatabase.ml b/infer/src/integration/CaptureCompilationDatabase.ml
index 5e5847641..769663b2b 100644
--- a/infer/src/integration/CaptureCompilationDatabase.ml
+++ b/infer/src/integration/CaptureCompilationDatabase.ml
@@ -12,17 +12,18 @@ module F = Format
 module CLOpt = CommandLineOption
 module L = Logging
 
-type cmd = {cwd: string; prog: string; args: string}
-
 let create_cmd (compilation_data: CompilationDatabase.compilation_data) =
-  let swap_command cmd =
+  let swap_executable cmd =
     if String.is_suffix ~suffix:"++" cmd then Config.wrappers_dir ^/ "clang++"
     else Config.wrappers_dir ^/ "clang"
   in
   let arg_file =
-    ClangQuotes.mk_arg_file "cdb_clang_args_" ClangQuotes.EscapedNoQuotes [compilation_data.args]
+    ClangQuotes.mk_arg_file "cdb_clang_args" ClangQuotes.EscapedNoQuotes
+      compilation_data.escaped_arguments
   in
-  {cwd= compilation_data.dir; prog= swap_command compilation_data.command; args= arg_file}
+  { CompilationDatabase.directory= compilation_data.directory
+  ; executable= swap_executable compilation_data.executable
+  ; escaped_arguments= ["@" ^ arg_file; "-fsyntax-only"] }
 
 
 (* A sentinel is a file which indicates that a failure occurred in another infer process.
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ let sentinel_exists sentinel_opt =
   Option.value_map ~default:false sentinel_opt ~f:file_exists
 
 
-let invoke_cmd ~fail_sentinel cmd =
+let invoke_cmd ~fail_sentinel (cmd: CompilationDatabase.compilation_data) =
   let create_sentinel_if_needed () =
     let create_empty_file fname = Utils.with_file_out ~f:(fun _ -> ()) fname in
     Option.iter fail_sentinel ~f:create_empty_file
@@ -42,9 +43,9 @@ let invoke_cmd ~fail_sentinel cmd =
   else
     try
       let pid =
-        let prog = cmd.prog in
-        let argv = [prog; "@" ^ cmd.args; "-fsyntax-only"] in
-        Spawn.(spawn ~cwd:(Path cmd.cwd) ~prog ~argv ())
+        let open Spawn in
+        spawn ~cwd:(Path cmd.directory) ~prog:cmd.executable
+          ~argv:(cmd.executable :: cmd.escaped_arguments) ()
       in
       match Unix.waitpid (Pid.of_int pid) with
       | Ok () ->
diff --git a/infer/src/integration/ClangQuotes.ml b/infer/src/integration/ClangQuotes.ml
index 60d05147f..e3b7be3b4 100644
--- a/infer/src/integration/ClangQuotes.ml
+++ b/infer/src/integration/ClangQuotes.ml
@@ -32,9 +32,13 @@ let quote style =
 let mk_arg_file prefix style args =
   let file = Filename.temp_file prefix ".txt" in
   let write_args outc =
-    List.map ~f:(quote style) args |> String.concat ~sep:" " |> Out_channel.output_string outc
+    List.iter
+      ~f:(fun arg ->
+        quote style arg |> Out_channel.output_string outc ;
+        Out_channel.newline outc )
+      args
   in
-  Utils.with_file_out file ~f:write_args |> ignore ;
+  Utils.with_file_out file ~f:write_args ;
   L.(debug Capture Medium) "Clang options stored in file %s@\n" file ;
   if not Config.debug_mode then Utils.unlink_file_on_exit file ;
   file
diff --git a/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.ml b/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.ml
index 81c29be02..f352b7987 100644
--- a/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.ml
+++ b/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.ml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 open! IStd
 module L = Logging
 
-type compilation_data = {dir: string; command: string; args: string}
+type compilation_data = {directory: string; executable: string; escaped_arguments: string list}
 
 type t = compilation_data SourceFile.Map.t ref
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ let parse_command_and_arguments command_and_arguments =
   let index = Str.search_forward regexp command_and_arguments 0 in
   let command = Str.string_before command_and_arguments (index + 1) in
   let arguments = Str.string_after command_and_arguments (index + 1) in
-  (command, arguments)
+  (command, [arguments])
 
 
 (** Parse the compilation database json file into the compilationDatabase
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ let decode_json_file (database: t) json_format =
                 "the value of the \"arguments\" field is an empty list in command %s"
                 (Yojson.Basic.to_string json)
           | cmd :: args ->
-              command := Some (cmd, Utils.shell_escape_command args) )
+              command := Some (cmd, List.map ~f:Escape.escape_shell args) )
       | "arguments", json ->
           exit_format_error
             "the value of the \"arguments\" field is not a list; found '%s' instead"
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ let decode_json_file (database: t) json_format =
     match json with
     | `Assoc fields ->
         List.iter ~f:one_field fields ;
-        let dir =
+        let directory =
           match !directory with
           | Some directory ->
               directory
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ let decode_json_file (database: t) json_format =
               exit_format_error "no \"file\" entry found in command %s"
                 (Yojson.Basic.to_string json)
         in
-        let command, args =
+        let executable, escaped_arguments =
           match !command with
           | Some x ->
               x
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ let decode_json_file (database: t) json_format =
               exit_format_error "no \"command\" or \"arguments\" entry found in command %s"
                 (Yojson.Basic.to_string json)
         in
-        let compilation_data = {dir; command; args} in
-        let abs_file = if Filename.is_relative file then dir ^/ file else file in
+        let compilation_data = {directory; executable; escaped_arguments} in
+        let abs_file = if Filename.is_relative file then directory ^/ file else file in
         let source_file = SourceFile.from_abs_path abs_file in
         database := SourceFile.Map.add source_file compilation_data !database
     | _ ->
diff --git a/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.mli b/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.mli
index 9b330dbcc..0e3d464e0 100644
--- a/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.mli
+++ b/infer/src/integration/CompilationDatabase.mli
@@ -11,7 +11,15 @@ open! IStd
 
 type t
 
-type compilation_data = {dir: string; command: string; args: string}
+type compilation_data =
+  { directory: string
+  ; executable: string
+  ; escaped_arguments: string list
+        (** argument list, where each argument is already escaped for the shell. This is because in
+            some cases the argument list contains arguments that are actually themselves a list of
+            arguments, for instance because the compilation database only contains a "command"
+            entry. *)
+  }
 
 val filter_compilation_data : t -> f:(SourceFile.t -> bool) -> compilation_data list
 
diff --git a/infer/src/integration/Javac.ml b/infer/src/integration/Javac.ml
index 5cec61cde..e3b46241f 100644
--- a/infer/src/integration/Javac.ml
+++ b/infer/src/integration/Javac.ml
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ let compile compiler build_prog build_args =
   let cli_file_args = cli_args @ ["@" ^ args_file] in
   let args = prog_args @ cli_file_args in
   L.(debug Capture Quiet) "Current working directory: '%s'@." (Sys.getcwd ()) ;
-  let verbose_out_file = Filename.temp_file "javac_" ".out" in
+  let verbose_out_file = Filename.temp_file "javac" ".out" in
   let try_run cmd error_k =
-    let shell_cmd = Utils.shell_escape_command cmd in
+    let shell_cmd = List.map ~f:Escape.escape_shell cmd |> String.concat ~sep:" " in
     let shell_cmd_redirected = Printf.sprintf "%s 2>'%s'" shell_cmd verbose_out_file in
     L.(debug Capture Quiet) "Trying to execute: %s@." shell_cmd_redirected ;
     match Utils.with_process_in shell_cmd_redirected In_channel.input_all with