diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/Committer.hs b/Assistant/Threads/Committer.hs
index d11efda3e2..8929a722af 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/Committer.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/Committer.hs
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ handleAdds lockdowndir havelsof largefilematcher delayadd cs = returnWhen (null
 	  	ks = keySource ld
 		doadd = sanitycheck ks $ do
 			(mkey, _mcache) <- liftAnnex $ do
-				showStart "add" (keyFilename ks) (SeekInput [])
+				showStartMessage (StartMessage "add" (ActionItemOther (Just (QuotedPath (keyFilename ks)))) (SeekInput []))
 				ingest nullMeterUpdate (Just $ LockedDown lockdownconfig ks) Nothing
 			maybe (failedingest change) (done change $ fromRawFilePath $ keyFilename ks) mkey
 	addannexed' _ _ = return Nothing
diff --git a/Command/FuzzTest.hs b/Command/FuzzTest.hs
index 4fadffce30..642f07b51d 100644
--- a/Command/FuzzTest.hs
+++ b/Command/FuzzTest.hs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ start :: CommandStart
 start = do
 	guardTest
 	logf <- fromRepo gitAnnexFuzzTestLogFile
-	showStart "fuzztest" (toRawFilePath logf) (SeekInput [])
+	showStartMessage (StartMessage "fuzztest" (ActionItemOther (Just (UnquotedString logf))) (SeekInput []))
 	logh <- liftIO $ openFile logf WriteMode
 	void $ forever $ fuzz logh
 	stop
diff --git a/Command/ImportFeed.hs b/Command/ImportFeed.hs
index 2b6803024f..07c289d7ce 100644
--- a/Command/ImportFeed.hs
+++ b/Command/ImportFeed.hs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ seek o = do
 
 getFeed :: AddUnlockedMatcher -> ImportFeedOptions -> Cache -> URLString -> CommandSeek
 getFeed addunlockedmatcher opts cache url = do
-	showStartOther "importfeed" (Just url) (SeekInput [])
+	showStartMessage (StartMessage "importfeed" (ActionItemOther (Just (UnquotedString url))) (SeekInput []))
 	withTmpFile "feed" $ \tmpf h -> do
 		liftIO $ hClose h
 		ifM (downloadFeed url tmpf)
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ getCache :: Maybe String -> Annex Cache
 getCache opttemplate = ifM (Annex.getRead Annex.force)
 	( ret S.empty S.empty
 	, do
-		showStart "importfeed" "gathering known urls" (SeekInput [])
+		showStartMessage (StartMessage "importfeed" (ActionItemOther (Just "gathering known urls")) (SeekInput []))
 		(us, is) <- knownItems
 		showEndOk
 		ret (S.fromList us) (S.fromList is)
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ performDownload' started addunlockedmatcher opts cache todownload = case locatio
 			)
 
 	starturl u = unless started $
-		showStartOther "addurl" (Just u) (SeekInput [])
+		showStartMessage (StartMessage "addurl" (ActionItemOther (Just (UnquotedString u))) (SeekInput []))
 
 defaultTemplate :: String
 defaultTemplate = "${feedtitle}/${itemtitle}${extension}"
diff --git a/Command/Info.hs b/Command/Info.hs
index 422d2f88d2..b6d12841f1 100644
--- a/Command/Info.hs
+++ b/Command/Info.hs
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ itemInfo o (si, p) = ifM (isdir (toRawFilePath p))
 
 noInfo :: String -> SeekInput -> String -> Annex ()
 noInfo s si msg = do
-	showStart "info" (encodeBS s) si
+	showStartMessage (StartMessage "info" (ActionItemOther (Just (UnquotedString s))) si)
 	showNote msg
 	showEndFail
 	Annex.incError
diff --git a/Command/Map.hs b/Command/Map.hs
index bdebbc4b1f..2674fac501 100644
--- a/Command/Map.hs
+++ b/Command/Map.hs
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ same a b
 {- reads the config of a remote, with progress display -}
 scan :: Git.Repo -> Annex Git.Repo
 scan r = do
-	showStartOther "map" (Just $ Git.repoDescribe r) (SeekInput [])
+	showStartMessage (StartMessage "map" (ActionItemOther (Just $ UnquotedString $ Git.repoDescribe r)) (SeekInput []))
 	v <- tryScan r
 	case v of
 		Just r' -> do
diff --git a/Messages.hs b/Messages.hs
index 45b7de6209..5b6ed426f9 100644
--- a/Messages.hs
+++ b/Messages.hs
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 
 module Messages (
-	showStart,
-	showStartOther,
 	showStartMessage,
 	showEndMessage,
 	StartMessage(..),
@@ -70,32 +68,6 @@ import Annex.Concurrent.Utility
 import qualified Messages.JSON as JSON
 import qualified Annex
 
-showStart :: String -> RawFilePath -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
-showStart command file si = outputMessage json $
-	encodeBS command <> " " <> file <> " "
-  where
-	json = JSON.start command (Just file) Nothing si
-
-showStartActionItem :: String -> ActionItem -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
-showStartActionItem command ai si = do
-	qp <- coreQuotePath <$> Annex.getGitConfig
-	outputMessage json $
-		encodeBS command <> " " <> actionItemDesc qp ai <> " "
-  where
-	json = JSON.start command (actionItemFile ai) (actionItemKey ai) si
-
-showStartOther :: String -> Maybe String -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
-showStartOther command mdesc si = outputMessage json $ encodeBS $
-	command ++ (maybe "" (" " ++) mdesc) ++ " "
-  where
-	json = JSON.start command Nothing Nothing si
-
-showStartNothing :: String -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
-showStartNothing command si = outputMessage json $ encodeBS $
-	command ++ " "
-  where
-	json = JSON.start command Nothing Nothing si
-
 showStartMessage :: StartMessage -> Annex ()
 showStartMessage (StartMessage command ai si) = case ai of
 	ActionItemAssociatedFile _ _ -> showStartActionItem command ai si
@@ -117,6 +89,20 @@ showStartMessage (CustomOutput _) =
 		NormalOutput -> Annex.setOutput QuietOutput
 		_ -> noop
 
+showStartActionItem :: String -> ActionItem -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
+showStartActionItem command ai si = do
+	qp <- coreQuotePath <$> Annex.getGitConfig
+	outputMessage json $
+		encodeBS command <> " " <> actionItemDesc qp ai <> " "
+  where
+	json = JSON.start command (actionItemFile ai) (actionItemKey ai) si
+
+showStartNothing :: String -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
+showStartNothing command si = outputMessage json $ encodeBS $
+	command ++ " "
+  where
+	json = JSON.start command Nothing Nothing si
+
 -- Only show end result if the StartMessage is one that gets displayed.
 showEndMessage :: StartMessage -> Bool -> Annex ()
 showEndMessage (StartMessage _ _ _) = showEndResult
diff --git a/doc/todo/terminal_escapes_in_filenames.mdwn b/doc/todo/terminal_escapes_in_filenames.mdwn
index e59bd7fde8..2a46cb1891 100644
--- a/doc/todo/terminal_escapes_in_filenames.mdwn
+++ b/doc/todo/terminal_escapes_in_filenames.mdwn
@@ -54,14 +54,11 @@ description of a repository. It seems that git-annex could just filter out
 control characters from all of these, since they are not filenames, and
 any control characters in them are surely malicious.
 
-Also: git-annex importfeed displays urls from the feed, and should filter
-out control characters. If such an url even can be parsed?
-
 Also: git-annex initremote with autoenable may be able to cause a remote
 with a malicious name to be set up?
 
 Also: Any place that an exception is thrown with an attacker-controlled value.
-`giveup` has been made to filter out control characters, but that leave
+`giveup` has been made to filter out control characters, but that leaves
 other exceptions, including ones thrown by libraries. Catch all exceptions
 at top-level (of program and/or worker threads) and filter out control
 characters?