diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index 3d07f6cfdf..bac1018dbd 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ processChatCommand = \case
   SendMessageBroadcast msg -> withUser $ \user -> do
     contacts <- withStore' (`getUserContacts` user)
     withChatLock "sendMessageBroadcast" . procCmd $ do
-      let mc = MCText $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+      let mc = MCText msg
           cts = filter (\ct -> isReady ct && directOrUsed ct) contacts
       forM_ cts $ \ct ->
         void
@@ -1030,8 +1030,8 @@ processChatCommand = \case
       CRBroadcastSent user mc (length cts) <$> liftIO getZonedTime
   SendMessageQuote cName (AMsgDirection msgDir) quotedMsg msg -> withUser $ \user@User {userId} -> do
     contactId <- withStore $ \db -> getContactIdByName db user cName
-    quotedItemId <- withStore $ \db -> getDirectChatItemIdByText db userId contactId msgDir (safeDecodeUtf8 quotedMsg)
-    let mc = MCText $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+    quotedItemId <- withStore $ \db -> getDirectChatItemIdByText db userId contactId msgDir quotedMsg
+    let mc = MCText msg
     processChatCommand . APISendMessage (ChatRef CTDirect contactId) False $ ComposedMessage Nothing (Just quotedItemId) mc
   DeleteMessage chatName deletedMsg -> withUser $ \user -> do
     chatRef <- getChatRef user chatName
@@ -1039,16 +1039,16 @@ processChatCommand = \case
     processChatCommand $ APIDeleteChatItem chatRef deletedItemId CIDMBroadcast
   DeleteMemberMessage gName mName deletedMsg -> withUser $ \user -> do
     (gId, mId) <- getGroupAndMemberId user gName mName
-    deletedItemId <- withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user gId (Just mName) $ safeDecodeUtf8 deletedMsg
+    deletedItemId <- withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user gId (Just mName) deletedMsg
     processChatCommand $ APIDeleteMemberChatItem gId mId deletedItemId
   EditMessage chatName editedMsg msg -> withUser $ \user -> do
     chatRef <- getChatRef user chatName
     editedItemId <- getSentChatItemIdByText user chatRef editedMsg
-    let mc = MCText $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+    let mc = MCText msg
     processChatCommand $ APIUpdateChatItem chatRef editedItemId False mc
   UpdateLiveMessage chatName chatItemId live msg -> withUser $ \user -> do
     chatRef <- getChatRef user chatName
-    let mc = MCText $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+    let mc = MCText msg
     processChatCommand $ APIUpdateChatItem chatRef chatItemId live mc
   APINewGroup userId gProfile -> withUserId userId $ \user -> do
     gVar <- asks idsDrg
@@ -1217,8 +1217,8 @@ processChatCommand = \case
     processChatCommand $ APIGetGroupLink groupId
   SendGroupMessageQuote gName cName quotedMsg msg -> withUser $ \user -> do
     groupId <- withStore $ \db -> getGroupIdByName db user gName
-    quotedItemId <- withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user groupId cName (safeDecodeUtf8 quotedMsg)
-    let mc = MCText $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+    quotedItemId <- withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user groupId cName quotedMsg
+    let mc = MCText msg
     processChatCommand . APISendMessage (ChatRef CTGroup groupId) False $ ComposedMessage Nothing (Just quotedItemId) mc
   LastChats count_ -> withUser' $ \user -> do
     chats <- withStore' $ \db -> getChatPreviews db user False
@@ -1386,10 +1386,10 @@ processChatCommand = \case
       code' <- getConnectionCode $ aConnId conn
       withStore' $ \db -> setConnectionVerified db user connId Nothing
       pure $ CRConnectionVerified user False code'
-    getSentChatItemIdByText :: User -> ChatRef -> ByteString -> m Int64
+    getSentChatItemIdByText :: User -> ChatRef -> Text -> m Int64
     getSentChatItemIdByText user@User {userId, localDisplayName} (ChatRef cType cId) msg = case cType of
-      CTDirect -> withStore $ \db -> getDirectChatItemIdByText db userId cId SMDSnd (safeDecodeUtf8 msg)
-      CTGroup -> withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user cId (Just localDisplayName) (safeDecodeUtf8 msg)
+      CTDirect -> withStore $ \db -> getDirectChatItemIdByText db userId cId SMDSnd msg
+      CTGroup -> withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user cId (Just localDisplayName) msg
       _ -> throwChatError $ CECommandError "not supported"
     connectViaContact :: User -> ConnectionRequestUri 'CMContact -> m ChatResponse
     connectViaContact user@User {userId} cReq@(CRContactUri ConnReqUriData {crClientData}) = withChatLock "connectViaContact" $ do
@@ -1543,7 +1543,7 @@ processChatCommand = \case
       setActive $ ActiveG localDisplayName
     sendTextMessage chatName msg live = withUser $ \user -> do
       chatRef <- getChatRef user chatName
-      let mc = MCText $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+      let mc = MCText msg
       processChatCommand . APISendMessage chatRef live $ ComposedMessage Nothing Nothing mc
     sndContactCITimed :: Bool -> Contact -> m (Maybe CITimed)
     sndContactCITimed live = mapM (sndCITimed_ live) . contactTimedTTL
@@ -4056,29 +4056,29 @@ chatCommandP =
       "/_group_profile #" *> (APIUpdateGroupProfile <$> A.decimal <* A.space <*> jsonP),
       ("/group_profile " <|> "/gp ") *> char_ '#' *> (UpdateGroupNames <$> displayName <* A.space <*> groupProfile),
       ("/group_profile " <|> "/gp ") *> char_ '#' *> (ShowGroupProfile <$> displayName),
-      "/group_descr " *> char_ '#' *> (UpdateGroupDescription <$> displayName <*> optional (A.space *> (jsonP <|> textP))),
+      "/group_descr " *> char_ '#' *> (UpdateGroupDescription <$> displayName <*> optional (A.space *> msgTextP)),
       "/_create link #" *> (APICreateGroupLink <$> A.decimal),
       "/_delete link #" *> (APIDeleteGroupLink <$> A.decimal),
       "/_get link #" *> (APIGetGroupLink <$> A.decimal),
       "/create link #" *> (CreateGroupLink <$> displayName),
       "/delete link #" *> (DeleteGroupLink <$> displayName),
       "/show link #" *> (ShowGroupLink <$> displayName),
-      (">#" <|> "> #") *> (SendGroupMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <*> pure Nothing <*> quotedMsg <*> A.takeByteString),
-      (">#" <|> "> #") *> (SendGroupMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <* char_ '@' <*> (Just <$> displayName) <* A.space <*> quotedMsg <*> A.takeByteString),
+      (">#" <|> "> #") *> (SendGroupMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <*> pure Nothing <*> quotedMsg <*> msgTextP),
+      (">#" <|> "> #") *> (SendGroupMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <* char_ '@' <*> (Just <$> displayName) <* A.space <*> quotedMsg <*> msgTextP),
       "/_contacts " *> (APIListContacts <$> A.decimal),
       "/contacts" $> ListContacts,
       "/_connect " *> (APIConnect <$> A.decimal <* A.space <*> ((Just <$> strP) <|> A.takeByteString $> Nothing)),
       "/_connect " *> (APIAddContact <$> A.decimal),
       ("/connect " <|> "/c ") *> (Connect <$> ((Just <$> strP) <|> A.takeByteString $> Nothing)),
       ("/connect" <|> "/c") $> AddContact,
-      SendMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> A.takeByteString,
-      "/live " *> (SendLiveMessage <$> chatNameP <*> (A.space *> A.takeByteString <|> pure "")),
+      SendMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> msgTextP,
+      "/live " *> (SendLiveMessage <$> chatNameP <*> (A.space *> msgTextP <|> pure "")),
       (">@" <|> "> @") *> sendMsgQuote (AMsgDirection SMDRcv),
       (">>@" <|> ">> @") *> sendMsgQuote (AMsgDirection SMDSnd),
-      ("\\ " <|> "\\") *> (DeleteMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> A.takeByteString),
-      ("\\\\ #" <|> "\\\\#") *> (DeleteMemberMessage <$> displayName <* A.space <* char_ '@' <*> displayName <* A.space <*> A.takeByteString),
-      ("! " <|> "!") *> (EditMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> (quotedMsg <|> pure "") <*> A.takeByteString),
-      "/feed " *> (SendMessageBroadcast <$> A.takeByteString),
+      ("\\ " <|> "\\") *> (DeleteMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> textP),
+      ("\\\\ #" <|> "\\\\#") *> (DeleteMemberMessage <$> displayName <* A.space <* char_ '@' <*> displayName <* A.space <*> textP),
+      ("! " <|> "!") *> (EditMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> (quotedMsg <|> pure "") <*> msgTextP),
+      "/feed " *> (SendMessageBroadcast <$> msgTextP),
       ("/chats" <|> "/cs") *> (LastChats <$> (" all" $> Nothing <|> Just <$> (A.space *> A.decimal <|> pure 20))),
       ("/tail" <|> "/t") *> (LastMessages <$> optional (A.space *> chatNameP) <*> msgCountP <*> pure Nothing),
       ("/search" <|> "/?") *> (LastMessages <$> optional (A.space *> chatNameP) <*> msgCountP <*> (Just <$> (A.space *> stringP))),
@@ -4139,8 +4139,8 @@ chatCommandP =
     msgContentP = "text " *> mcTextP <|> "json " *> jsonP
     ciDeleteMode = "broadcast" $> CIDMBroadcast <|> "internal" $> CIDMInternal
     displayName = safeDecodeUtf8 <$> (B.cons <$> A.satisfy refChar <*> A.takeTill (== ' '))
-    sendMsgQuote msgDir = SendMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <*> pure msgDir <*> quotedMsg <*> A.takeByteString
-    quotedMsg = A.char '(' *> A.takeTill (== ')') <* A.char ')' <* optional A.space
+    sendMsgQuote msgDir = SendMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <*> pure msgDir <*> quotedMsg <*> msgTextP
+    quotedMsg = safeDecodeUtf8 <$> (A.char '(' *> A.takeTill (== ')') <* A.char ')') <* optional A.space
     refChar c = c > ' ' && c /= '#' && c /= '@'
     liveMessageP = " live=" *> onOffP <|> pure False
     onOffP = ("on" $> True) <|> ("off" $> False)
@@ -4162,6 +4162,7 @@ chatCommandP =
       n <- (A.space *> A.takeByteString) <|> pure ""
       pure $ if B.null n then name else safeDecodeUtf8 n
     textP = safeDecodeUtf8 <$> A.takeByteString
+    msgTextP = jsonP <|> textP
     stringP = T.unpack . safeDecodeUtf8 <$> A.takeByteString
     filePath = stringP
     memberRole =
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
index 2390d40dd1..70240aff77 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
@@ -293,14 +293,14 @@ data ChatCommand
   | AddressAutoAccept (Maybe AutoAccept)
   | AcceptContact ContactName
   | RejectContact ContactName
-  | SendMessage ChatName ByteString
-  | SendLiveMessage ChatName ByteString
-  | SendMessageQuote {contactName :: ContactName, msgDir :: AMsgDirection, quotedMsg :: ByteString, message :: ByteString}
-  | SendMessageBroadcast ByteString -- UserId (not used in UI)
-  | DeleteMessage ChatName ByteString
-  | DeleteMemberMessage GroupName ContactName ByteString
-  | EditMessage {chatName :: ChatName, editedMsg :: ByteString, message :: ByteString}
-  | UpdateLiveMessage {chatName :: ChatName, chatItemId :: ChatItemId, liveMessage :: Bool, message :: ByteString}
+  | SendMessage ChatName Text
+  | SendLiveMessage ChatName Text
+  | SendMessageQuote {contactName :: ContactName, msgDir :: AMsgDirection, quotedMsg :: Text, message :: Text}
+  | SendMessageBroadcast Text -- UserId (not used in UI)
+  | DeleteMessage ChatName Text
+  | DeleteMemberMessage GroupName ContactName Text
+  | EditMessage {chatName :: ChatName, editedMsg :: Text, message :: Text}
+  | UpdateLiveMessage {chatName :: ChatName, chatItemId :: ChatItemId, liveMessage :: Bool, message :: Text}
   | APINewGroup UserId GroupProfile
   | NewGroup GroupProfile
   | AddMember GroupName ContactName GroupMemberRole
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ data ChatCommand
   | CreateGroupLink GroupName
   | DeleteGroupLink GroupName
   | ShowGroupLink GroupName
-  | SendGroupMessageQuote {groupName :: GroupName, contactName_ :: Maybe ContactName, quotedMsg :: ByteString, message :: ByteString}
+  | SendGroupMessageQuote {groupName :: GroupName, contactName_ :: Maybe ContactName, quotedMsg :: Text, message :: Text}
   | LastChats (Maybe Int) -- UserId (not used in UI)
   | LastMessages (Maybe ChatName) Int (Maybe String) -- UserId (not used in UI)
   | LastChatItemId (Maybe ChatName) Int -- UserId (not used in UI)
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Terminal/Input.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Terminal/Input.hs
index 1ea3dc0cd0..f405416c51 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Terminal/Input.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Terminal/Input.hs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import Simplex.Chat.Controller
 import Simplex.Chat.Messages
 import Simplex.Chat.Styled
 import Simplex.Chat.Terminal.Output
-import Simplex.Messaging.Util (safeDecodeUtf8, whenM)
+import Simplex.Messaging.Util (whenM)
 import System.Exit (exitSuccess)
 import System.Terminal hiding (insertChars)
 import UnliftIO.STM
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ runInputLoop ct@ChatTerminal {termState, liveMessageState} cc = forever $ do
     startLiveMessage :: Either a ChatCommand -> ChatResponse -> IO ()
     startLiveMessage (Right (SendLiveMessage chatName msg)) (CRNewChatItem _ (AChatItem cType SMDSnd _ ChatItem {meta = CIMeta {itemId}})) = do
       whenM (isNothing <$> readTVarIO liveMessageState) $ do
-        let s = T.unpack $ safeDecodeUtf8 msg
+        let s = T.unpack msg
             int = case cType of SCTGroup -> 5000000; _ -> 3000000 :: Int
         liveThreadId <- mkWeakThreadId =<< runLiveMessage int `forkFinally` const (atomically $ writeTVar liveMessageState Nothing)
         promptThreadId <- mkWeakThreadId =<< forkIO blinkLivePrompt
@@ -110,8 +110,7 @@ runInputLoop ct@ChatTerminal {termState, liveMessageState} cc = forever $ do
 
 sendUpdatedLiveMessage :: ChatController -> String -> LiveMessage -> Bool -> IO ChatResponse
 sendUpdatedLiveMessage cc sentMsg LiveMessage {chatName, chatItemId} live = do
-  let bs = encodeUtf8 $ T.pack sentMsg
-      cmd = UpdateLiveMessage chatName chatItemId live bs
+  let cmd = UpdateLiveMessage chatName chatItemId live $ T.pack sentMsg
   either (CRChatCmdError Nothing) id <$> runExceptT (processChatCommand cmd) `runReaderT` cc
 
 runTerminalInput :: ChatTerminal -> ChatController -> IO ()
@@ -238,8 +237,8 @@ updateTermState ac live tw (key, ms) ts@TerminalState {inputString = s, inputPos
       Left _ -> inp
       Right cmd -> case cmd of
         SendMessage {} -> "! " <> inp
-        SendMessageQuote {contactName, message} -> T.unpack $ "! @" <> contactName <> " " <> safeDecodeUtf8 message
-        SendGroupMessageQuote {groupName, message} -> T.unpack $ "! #" <> groupName <> " " <> safeDecodeUtf8 message
+        SendMessageQuote {contactName, message} -> T.unpack $ "! @" <> contactName <> " " <> message
+        SendGroupMessageQuote {groupName, message} -> T.unpack $ "! #" <> groupName <> " " <> message
         _ -> inp
     setPosition p' = ts' (s, p')
     prevWordPos
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/Direct.hs b/tests/ChatTests/Direct.hs
index 0e6d535b15..7754ccf2e7 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/Direct.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/Direct.hs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ chatDirectTests = do
     it "direct message delete" testDirectMessageDelete
     it "direct live message" testDirectLiveMessage
     it "repeat AUTH errors disable contact" testRepeatAuthErrorsDisableContact
+    it "should send multiline message" testMultilineMessage
   describe "SMP servers" $ do
     it "get and set SMP servers" testGetSetSMPServers
     it "test SMP server connection" testTestSMPServerConnection
@@ -369,6 +370,23 @@ testRepeatAuthErrorsDisableContact =
       alice #> "@bob hey"
       alice <## "[bob, contactId: 2, connId: 1] error: connection authorization failed - this could happen if connection was deleted, secured with different credentials, or due to a bug - please re-create the connection"
 
+testMultilineMessage :: HasCallStack => FilePath -> IO ()
+testMultilineMessage = testChat3 aliceProfile bobProfile cathProfile $ \alice bob cath -> do
+  connectUsers alice bob
+  connectUsers alice cath
+  alice `send` "@bob \"hello\\nthere\"" -- @bob "hello\nthere"
+  alice <# "@bob hello"
+  alice <## "there"
+  bob <# "alice> hello"
+  bob <## "there"
+  alice `send` "/feed \"hello\\nthere\"" -- /feed "hello\nthere"
+  alice <##. "/feed (2)"
+  alice <## "there"
+  bob <# "alice> hello"
+  bob <## "there"
+  cath <# "alice> hello"
+  cath <## "there"
+
 testGetSetSMPServers :: HasCallStack => FilePath -> IO ()
 testGetSetSMPServers =
   testChat2 aliceProfile bobProfile $