diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js
index 76901e8d80..4058e5a0d5 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Ajax.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ OpenLayers.loadURL = function(uri, params, caller,
                                   onComplete, onFailure) {
 
     if (OpenLayers.ProxyHost && OpenLayers.String.startsWith(uri, "http")) {
-        uri = OpenLayers.ProxyHost + escape(uri);
+        uri = OpenLayers.ProxyHost + escapeURIComponent(uri);
     }
 
     var success = (onComplete) ? OpenLayers.Function.bind(onComplete, caller)