diff --git a/pylib/cqlshlib/formatting.py b/pylib/cqlshlib/formatting.py
index a8ee51d225..5e2bb266df 100644
--- a/pylib/cqlshlib/formatting.py
+++ b/pylib/cqlshlib/formatting.py
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ from .util import UTC
 
 is_win = platform.system() == 'Windows'
 
-unicode_controlchars_re = re.compile(r'[\x00-\x31\x7f-\xa0]')
-controlchars_re = re.compile(r'[\x00-\x31\x7f-\xff]')
+unicode_controlchars_re = re.compile(r'[\x00-\x1f\x7f-\xa0]')
+controlchars_re = re.compile(r'[\x00-\x1f\x7f-\xff]')
 
 
 def _show_control_chars(match):
diff --git a/pylib/cqlshlib/test/test_unicode.py b/pylib/cqlshlib/test/test_unicode.py
index 836c2d9b8b..9fc052f58a 100644
--- a/pylib/cqlshlib/test/test_unicode.py
+++ b/pylib/cqlshlib/test/test_unicode.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import subprocess
 
 from .basecase import BaseTestCase
 from .cassconnect import (get_cassandra_connection, create_keyspace, testrun_cqlsh)
+from cqlshlib.formatting import unicode_controlchars_re
 
 
 class TestCqlshUnicode(BaseTestCase):
@@ -73,3 +74,6 @@ class TestCqlshUnicode(BaseTestCase):
             self.assertIn(v1, output)
             output = c.cmd_and_response('DESC TYPE "%s";' %(v1,))
             self.assertIn(v2, output)
+
+    def test_unicode_esc(self):  # CASSANDRA-17617
+        self.assertFalse(unicode_controlchars_re.match("01"))