diff --git a/tests/unit/tabs/core.js b/tests/unit/tabs/core.js
index ae670ff430..c2fd890488 100644
--- a/tests/unit/tabs/core.js
+++ b/tests/unit/tabs/core.js
@@ -84,6 +84,37 @@ QUnit.test( "non-tab list items", function( assert ) {
 		"first actual tab is active" );
 } );
 
+QUnit.test( "ID escaping backslashes", function( assert ) {
+	assert.expect( 5 );
+
+	location.hash = "#fragment\b-2";
+
+	var element = $( "#tabs1" )
+		.find( "a[href='#fragment-2']" )
+			.attr( "href", "#fragment\b-2" )
+		.end()
+		.find( "#fragment-2" )
+			.attr( "id", "fragment\b-2" )
+		.end()
+		.tabs();
+	var tabs = element.find( ".ui-tabs-nav li" );
+	var anchors = tabs.find( ".ui-tabs-anchor" );
+	var panels = element.find( ".ui-tabs-panel" );
+
+	assert.strictEqual( element.tabs( "option", "active" ), 1,
+		"should set the active option" );
+
+	assert.strictEqual( anchors.length, 3, "should decorate all anchors" );
+	assert.strictEqual( panels.length, 3, "should decorate all panels" );
+
+	assert.strictEqual( panels.eq( 1 ).attr( "aria-labelledby" ), anchors.eq( 1 ).attr( "id" ),
+		"panel 2 aria-labelledby equals anchor 2 id" );
+	assert.strictEqual( tabs.eq( 1 ).attr( "aria-controls" ), "fragment\b-2",
+		"tab 2 aria-controls" );
+
+	location.hash = "";
+} );
+
 QUnit.test( "aria-controls", function( assert ) {
 	assert.expect( 7 );
 	var element = $( "#tabs1" ).tabs(),
diff --git a/tests/unit/tabs/helper.js b/tests/unit/tabs/helper.js
index b3fb1d6fd4..4043d86d8f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/tabs/helper.js
+++ b/tests/unit/tabs/helper.js
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ return $.extend( helper, {
 		var expected = $.makeArray( arguments ).slice( 2 ),
 			actual = tabs.find( ".ui-tabs-nav li" ).map( function() {
 				var tab = $( this ),
-					panel = $( $.ui.tabs.prototype._sanitizeSelector(
-						"#" + tab.attr( "aria-controls" ) ) ),
+					panel = $( "#" + CSS.escape( tab.attr( "aria-controls" ) ) ),
 					tabIsActive = tab.hasClass( "ui-state-active" ),
 					panelIsActive = panel.css( "display" ) !== "none";
 
diff --git a/ui/widgets/tabs.js b/ui/widgets/tabs.js
index 72b868e4f0..7b7907c327 100644
--- a/ui/widgets/tabs.js
+++ b/ui/widgets/tabs.js
@@ -121,14 +121,14 @@ $.widget( "ui.tabs", {
 	_initialActive: function() {
 		var active = this.options.active,
 			collapsible = this.options.collapsible,
-			locationHash = location.hash.substring( 1 );
+			locationHashDecoded = decodeURIComponent( location.hash.substring( 1 ) );
 
 		if ( active === null ) {
 
 			// check the fragment identifier in the URL
-			if ( locationHash ) {
+			if ( locationHashDecoded ) {
 				this.tabs.each( function( i, tab ) {
-					if ( $( tab ).attr( "aria-controls" ) === locationHash ) {
+					if ( $( tab ).attr( "aria-controls" ) === locationHashDecoded ) {
 						active = i;
 						return false;
 					}
@@ -312,10 +312,6 @@ $.widget( "ui.tabs", {
 		}
 	},
 
-	_sanitizeSelector: function( hash ) {
-		return hash ? hash.replace( /[!"$%&'()*+,.\/:;<=>?@\[\]\^`{|}~]/g, "\\$&" ) : "";
-	},
-
 	refresh: function() {
 		var options = this.options,
 			lis = this.tablist.children( ":has(a[href])" );
@@ -434,9 +430,9 @@ $.widget( "ui.tabs", {
 
 			// Inline tab
 			if ( that._isLocal( anchor ) ) {
-				selector = anchor.hash;
+				selector = decodeURIComponent( anchor.hash );
 				panelId = selector.substring( 1 );
-				panel = that.element.find( that._sanitizeSelector( selector ) );
+				panel = that.element.find( "#" + CSS.escape( panelId ) );
 
 			// remote tab
 			} else {
@@ -874,7 +870,7 @@ $.widget( "ui.tabs", {
 
 	_getPanelForTab: function( tab ) {
 		var id = $( tab ).attr( "aria-controls" );
-		return this.element.find( this._sanitizeSelector( "#" + id ) );
+		return this.element.find( "#" + CSS.escape( id ) );
 	}
 } );