diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
index f1818291aa..e0ea0b4c0a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@ def abspath(x):
     return os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(x))
 
 
+def escape_sr_pattern(exp):
+    return exp.replace('\n', '\ue123')
+
+
 def read_sr_patterns(path, log=None):
     import json, re
     pats = []
@@ -344,6 +348,7 @@ def read_sr_patterns(path, log=None):
         if pat is None:
             if not line.strip():
                 continue
+            line = line.replace('\ue123', '\n')
             try:
                 re.compile(line)
             except:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
index bbd1b5b481..c31d6d9115 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
                         show=True)
 
     def sr_save_clicked(self):
+        from calibre.ebooks.conversion.cli import escape_sr_pattern as escape
         filename = choose_save_file(self, 'sr_saved_patterns',
                 _('Save calibre search-replace definitions file'),
                 filters=[
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
         if filename:
             with codecs.open(filename, 'w', 'utf-8') as f:
                 for search, replace in self.get_definitions():
-                    f.write(search + u'\n' + replace + u'\n\n')
+                    f.write(escape(search) + u'\n' + escape(replace) + u'\n\n')
 
     def sr_up_clicked(self):
         self.cell_rearrange(-1)