diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index be07b04817..b74d7d1fde 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+git-annex (7.20190220) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * Fix storage of metadata values containing newlines.
+    (Reversion introduced in version 7.20190122.)
+
+ -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Wed, 20 Feb 2019 14:20:59 -0400
+
 git-annex (7.20190219) upstream; urgency=medium
 
   * init: Fix bug when direct mode needs to be enabled on a crippled
diff --git a/Types/MetaData.hs b/Types/MetaData.hs
index 1e30a44429..6ee60b3e2d 100644
--- a/Types/MetaData.hs
+++ b/Types/MetaData.hs
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ instance MetaSerializable MetaField where
 instance MetaSerializable MetaValue where
 	serialize (MetaValue isset v) =
 		serialize isset <>
-		if B8.any (== ' ') v || "!" `B8.isPrefixOf` v
+		if B8.any (`elem` [' ', '\r', '\n']) v || "!" `B8.isPrefixOf` v
 			then "!" <> toB64' v
 			else v
 	deserialize b = do