diff --git a/library/files/lineinfile b/library/files/lineinfile
index ef2714ed71a..f40ebb341e2 100644
--- a/library/files/lineinfile
+++ b/library/files/lineinfile
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ def main():
             line = re.sub(r'(\\[0-9]{1,3})', r'\\\1', params['line'])
         else:
             line = params['line']
-        line = module.safe_eval(pipes.quote(line))
+        line = unquote(module.safe_eval(pipes.quote(line)))
 
         present(module, dest, params['regexp'], line,
                 ins_aft, ins_bef, create, backup, backrefs)
@@ -382,5 +382,6 @@ def main():
 
 # import module snippets
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.splitter import *
 
 main()