Found it. Latest sid should fix me up (knew I should have waited longer): * Import patch from Ubuntu: - fix_quote_readline_by_ref.patch, thanks to JuanJo Ciarlante (Closes: #739835): + avoid escaping 1st '~' (LP: #1288314) here is a bug listing for this bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/bash/+bug/1288314 Sorry for the noise, Zenaan