diff --git a/src/gmt_io.c b/src/gmt_io.c
index 5a69da91a34..25dfb1f99e3 100644
--- a/src/gmt_io.c
+++ b/src/gmt_io.c
@@ -7831,8 +7831,22 @@ bool gmt_parse_segment_item (struct GMT_CTRL *GMT, char *in_string, char *patter
 		sscanf (++t, "%[^\"]", out_string);
 	else if (t[0] == '\'')	/* Single quoted argument, must scan from next character until terminal quote */
 		sscanf (++t, "%[^\']", out_string);
-	else	/* Scan until next white space; stop also when there is leading white space, indicating no argument at all! */
-		sscanf (t, "%[^ \t]", out_string);
+	else {	/* Scan until next unquoted white space; stop also when there is leading white space, indicating no argument at all! */
+		size_t i = 0;
+		bool in_quote = false;
+		char quote_char = 0;
+		while (t[i] && (in_quote || (t[i] != ' ' && t[i] != '\t'))) {
+			if (!in_quote && (t[i] == '"' || t[i] == '\'')) {
+				in_quote = true;
+				quote_char = t[i];
+			}
+			else if (in_quote && t[i] == quote_char)
+				in_quote = false;
+			out_string[i] = t[i];
+			i++;
+		}
+		out_string[i] = '\0';
+	}
 	return (true);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gmt_support.c b/src/gmt_support.c
index 6941e47d04f..6399b7d065f 100644
--- a/src/gmt_support.c
+++ b/src/gmt_support.c
@@ -10711,7 +10711,15 @@ int gmt_contlabel_specs (struct GMT_CTRL *GMT, char *txt, struct GMT_CONTOUR *G)
 					bad++;
 				break;
 			case 'l':	/* Exact Label specification */
-				strncpy (G->label, &p[1], GMT_BUFSIZ-1);
+				if (p[1] == '"' || p[1] == '\'') {	/* Strip surrounding quotes from label */
+					char q = p[1];
+					L = strlen (&p[2]);
+					if (L > 0 && p[2 + L - 1] == q) L--;	/* Exclude trailing quote */
+					strncpy (G->label, &p[2], MIN(L, GMT_BUFSIZ-1));
+					G->label[MIN(L, GMT_BUFSIZ-1)] = '\0';
+				}
+				else
+					strncpy (G->label, &p[1], GMT_BUFSIZ-1);
 				G->label_type = GMT_LABEL_IS_CONSTANT;
 				break;
 
diff --git a/src/psxy.c b/src/psxy.c
index 2a6c99af45b..0341eba1915 100644
--- a/src/psxy.c
+++ b/src/psxy.c
@@ -2784,6 +2784,19 @@ EXTERN_MSC int GMT_psxy (void *V_API, int mode, void *args) {
 						}
 						else if (S.symbol == GMT_SYMBOL_QUOTED_LINE || S.symbol == GMT_SYMBOL_DECORATED_LINE || S.symbol == GMT_SYMBOL_FRONT)
 							GMT_Report (API, GMT_MSG_ERROR, "Segment header tries to switch from -S%c to another symbol (%s) - ignored\n", S.symbol, s_args);
+						else if (s_args[0] == 'q' || s_args[0] == '~' || s_args[0] == 'f') {	/* Create new front, quoted, or decorated line from segment header */
+							if ((error = gmt_parse_symbol_option (GMT, s_args, &S, 0, false))) {
+								Return (error);
+							}
+							if (S.symbol == GMT_SYMBOL_QUOTED_LINE) {
+								if (gmt_contlabel_prep (GMT, &S.G, NULL)) Return (GMT_RUNTIME_ERROR);
+								penset_OK = false;
+							}
+							else if (S.symbol == GMT_SYMBOL_DECORATED_LINE) {
+								if (gmt_decorate_prep (GMT, &S.D, NULL)) Return (GMT_RUNTIME_ERROR);
+							}
+							if (change & 1) change -= 1;
+						}
 						else	/* Probably just junk -S in header */
 							GMT_Report (API, GMT_MSG_INFORMATION, "Segment header contained -S%s - ignored\n", s_args);
 					}