diff --git a/scripts/config b/scripts/config
index e0e39826dae9..eee5b7f3a092 100755
--- a/scripts/config
+++ b/scripts/config
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ myname=${0##*/}
 # If no prefix forced, use the default CONFIG_
 CONFIG_="${CONFIG_-CONFIG_}"
 
+# We use an uncommon delimiter for sed substitutions
+SED_DELIM=$(echo -en "\001")
+
 usage() {
 	cat >&2 <<EOL
 Manipulate options in a .config file from the command line.
@@ -83,7 +86,7 @@ txt_subst() {
 	local infile="$3"
 	local tmpfile="$infile.swp"
 
-	sed -e "s:$before:$after:" "$infile" >"$tmpfile"
+	sed -e "s$SED_DELIM$before$SED_DELIM$after$SED_DELIM" "$infile" >"$tmpfile"
 	# replace original file with the edited one
 	mv "$tmpfile" "$infile"
 }