diff --git a/docs/scripts/pdoc-template/module.html.jinja2 b/docs/scripts/pdoc-template/module.html.jinja2
index dbe3baf15..268c393fb 100644
--- a/docs/scripts/pdoc-template/module.html.jinja2
+++ b/docs/scripts/pdoc-template/module.html.jinja2
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ To document all event hooks, we do a bit of hackery:
             {% if doc.qualname.startswith("ServerConnectionHookData") and doc.name != "__init__" %}
                 {{ default_is_public(doc) }}
             {% endif %}
+        {% elif doc.modulename == "mitmproxy.websocket" %}
+            {% if doc.qualname != "WebSocketMessage.type" %}
+                {{ default_is_public(doc) }}
+            {% endif %}
         {% else %}
             {{ default_is_public(doc) }}
         {% endif %}
diff --git a/mitmproxy/addons/proxyserver.py b/mitmproxy/addons/proxyserver.py
index f7a60918a..3d9f258fe 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/addons/proxyserver.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/addons/proxyserver.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from mitmproxy.proxy import commands, events, server_hooks
 from mitmproxy.proxy import server
 from mitmproxy.proxy.layers.tcp import TcpMessageInjected
 from mitmproxy.proxy.layers.websocket import WebSocketMessageInjected
-from mitmproxy.utils import asyncio_utils, human, strutils
+from mitmproxy.utils import asyncio_utils, human
 from wsproto.frame_protocol import Opcode
 
 
@@ -190,15 +190,14 @@ class Proxyserver:
         self._connections[event.flow.client_conn.peername].server_event(event)
 
     @command.command("inject.websocket")
-    def inject_websocket(self, flow: Flow, to_client: bool, message: str, is_text: bool = True):
+    def inject_websocket(self, flow: Flow, to_client: bool, message: bytes, is_text: bool = True):
         if not isinstance(flow, http.HTTPFlow) or not flow.websocket:
             ctx.log.warn("Cannot inject WebSocket messages into non-WebSocket flows.")
 
-        message_bytes = strutils.escaped_str_to_bytes(message)
         msg = websocket.WebSocketMessage(
             Opcode.TEXT if is_text else Opcode.BINARY,
             not to_client,
-            message_bytes
+            message
         )
         event = WebSocketMessageInjected(flow, msg)
         try:
@@ -207,12 +206,11 @@ class Proxyserver:
             ctx.log.warn(str(e))
 
     @command.command("inject.tcp")
-    def inject_tcp(self, flow: Flow, to_client: bool, message: str):
+    def inject_tcp(self, flow: Flow, to_client: bool, message: bytes):
         if not isinstance(flow, tcp.TCPFlow):
             ctx.log.warn("Cannot inject TCP messages into non-TCP flows.")
 
-        message_bytes = strutils.escaped_str_to_bytes(message)
-        event = TcpMessageInjected(flow, tcp.TCPMessage(not to_client, message_bytes))
+        event = TcpMessageInjected(flow, tcp.TCPMessage(not to_client, message))
         try:
             self.inject_event(event)
         except ValueError as e:
diff --git a/mitmproxy/command.py b/mitmproxy/command.py
index 23aed219d..d67e9a424 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/command.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/command.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class Command:
         for name, parameter in self.signature.parameters.items():
             t = parameter.annotation
             if not mitmproxy.types.CommandTypes.get(parameter.annotation, None):
-                raise exceptions.CommandError(f"Argument {name} has an unknown type ({_empty_as_none(t)}) in {func}.")
+                raise exceptions.CommandError(f"Argument {name} has an unknown type {t} in {func}.")
         if self.return_type and not mitmproxy.types.CommandTypes.get(self.return_type, None):
             raise exceptions.CommandError(f"Return type has an unknown type ({self.return_type}) in {func}.")
 
@@ -106,8 +106,15 @@ class Command:
             raise exceptions.CommandError(f"Command argument mismatch: \n    {expected}\n    {received}")
 
         for name, value in bound_arguments.arguments.items():
-            convert_to = self.signature.parameters[name].annotation
-            bound_arguments.arguments[name] = parsearg(self.manager, value, convert_to)
+            param = self.signature.parameters[name]
+            convert_to = param.annotation
+            if param.kind == param.VAR_POSITIONAL:
+                bound_arguments.arguments[name] = tuple(
+                    parsearg(self.manager, x, convert_to)
+                    for x in value
+                )
+            else:
+                bound_arguments.arguments[name] = parsearg(self.manager, value, convert_to)
 
         bound_arguments.apply_defaults()
 
diff --git a/mitmproxy/command_lexer.py b/mitmproxy/command_lexer.py
index 31458f4d2..2ba691dff 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/command_lexer.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/command_lexer.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import ast
 import re
 
 import pyparsing
@@ -10,13 +9,9 @@ import pyparsing
 PartialQuotedString = pyparsing.Regex(
     re.compile(
         r'''
-            (["'])  # start quote
-            (?:
-                (?:\\.)  # escape sequence
-                |
-                (?!\1).  # unescaped character that is not our quote nor the begin of an escape sequence. We can't use \1 in []
-            )*
-            (?:\1|$)  # end quote
+            "[^"]*(?:"|$)  # double-quoted string that ends with double quote or EOF
+            |
+            '[^']*(?:'|$)  # single-quoted string that ends with double quote or EOF
         ''',
         re.VERBOSE
     )
@@ -32,18 +27,15 @@ expr = pyparsing.ZeroOrMore(
 def quote(val: str) -> str:
     if val and all(char not in val for char in "'\" \r\n\t"):
         return val
-    return repr(val)  # TODO: More of a hack.
+    if '"' not in val:
+        return f'"{val}"'
+    if "'" not in val:
+        return f"'{val}'"
+    return '"' + val.replace('"', r"\x22") + '"'
 
 
 def unquote(x: str) -> str:
-    quoted = (
-            (x.startswith('"') and x.endswith('"'))
-            or
-            (x.startswith("'") and x.endswith("'"))
-    )
-    if quoted:
-        try:
-            x = ast.literal_eval(x)
-        except Exception:
-            x = x[1:-1]
-    return x
+    if len(x) > 1 and x[0] in "'\"" and x[0] == x[-1]:
+        return x[1:-1]
+    else:
+        return x
diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_bytes.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_bytes.py
index 990253ea4..e27a4474a 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_bytes.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_bytes.py
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ class Display(base.Cell):
 
 class Edit(base.Cell):
     def __init__(self, data: bytes) -> None:
-        data = strutils.bytes_to_escaped_str(data)
-        w = urwid.Edit(edit_text=data, wrap="any", multiline=True)
+        d = strutils.bytes_to_escaped_str(data)
+        w = urwid.Edit(edit_text=d, wrap="any", multiline=True)
         w = urwid.AttrWrap(w, "editfield")
         super().__init__(w)
 
diff --git a/mitmproxy/types.py b/mitmproxy/types.py
index e02a1f670..01d7ac47f 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/types.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/types.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
+import codecs
 import os
 import glob
+import re
 import typing
 
 from mitmproxy import exceptions
 from mitmproxy import flow
-from mitmproxy.utils import emoji
+from mitmproxy.utils import emoji, strutils
 
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no cover
     from mitmproxy.command import CommandManager
@@ -104,16 +106,52 @@ class _StrType(_BaseType):
     typ = str
     display = "str"
 
+    # https://docs.python.org/3/reference/lexical_analysis.html#string-and-bytes-literals
+    escape_sequences = re.compile(r"""
+        \\ (
+        [\\'"abfnrtv]  # Standard C escape sequence
+        | [0-7]{1,3}   # Character with octal value
+        | x..          # Character with hex value
+        | N{[^}]+}     # Character name in the Unicode database
+        | u....        # Character with 16-bit hex value
+        | U........    # Character with 32-bit hex value
+        )
+        """, re.VERBOSE)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _unescape(match: re.Match) -> str:
+        return codecs.decode(match.group(0), "unicode-escape")  # type: ignore
+
     def completion(self, manager: "CommandManager", t: type, s: str) -> typing.Sequence[str]:
         return []
 
     def parse(self, manager: "CommandManager", t: type, s: str) -> str:
-        return s
+        try:
+            return self.escape_sequences.sub(self._unescape, s)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise exceptions.TypeError(f"Invalid str: {e}") from e
 
     def is_valid(self, manager: "CommandManager", typ: typing.Any, val: typing.Any) -> bool:
         return isinstance(val, str)
 
 
+class _BytesType(_BaseType):
+    typ = bytes
+    display = "bytes"
+
+    def completion(self, manager: "CommandManager", t: type, s: str) -> typing.Sequence[str]:
+        return []
+
+    def parse(self, manager: "CommandManager", t: type, s: str) -> bytes:
+        try:
+            return strutils.escaped_str_to_bytes(s)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise exceptions.TypeError(str(e))
+
+    def is_valid(self, manager: "CommandManager", typ: typing.Any, val: typing.Any) -> bool:
+        return isinstance(val, bytes)
+
+
 class _UnknownType(_BaseType):
     typ = Unknown
     display = "unknown"
@@ -460,4 +498,5 @@ CommandTypes = TypeManager(
     _PathType,
     _StrType,
     _StrSeqType,
+    _BytesType,
 )
diff --git a/mitmproxy/utils/strutils.py b/mitmproxy/utils/strutils.py
index 3debb2aa3..0622b737d 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/utils/strutils.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/utils/strutils.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def escape_control_characters(text: str, keep_spacing=True) -> str:
     return text.translate(trans)
 
 
-def bytes_to_escaped_str(data, keep_spacing=False, escape_single_quotes=False):
+def bytes_to_escaped_str(data: bytes, keep_spacing: bool = False, escape_single_quotes: bool = False) -> str:
     """
     Take bytes and return a safe string that can be displayed to the user.
 
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def bytes_to_escaped_str(data, keep_spacing=False, escape_single_quotes=False):
     return ret
 
 
-def escaped_str_to_bytes(data):
+def escaped_str_to_bytes(data: str) -> bytes:
     """
     Take an escaped string and return the unescaped bytes equivalent.
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def escaped_str_to_bytes(data):
 
     # This one is difficult - we use an undocumented Python API here
     # as per http://stackoverflow.com/a/23151714/934719
-    return codecs.escape_decode(data)[0]
+    return codecs.escape_decode(data)[0]  # type: ignore
 
 
 def is_mostly_bin(s: bytes) -> bool:
diff --git a/mitmproxy/websocket.py b/mitmproxy/websocket.py
index 7fd0fcb02..00accbf55 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/websocket.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/websocket.py
@@ -20,18 +20,16 @@ class WebSocketMessage(serializable.Serializable):
     """
     A single WebSocket message sent from one peer to the other.
 
-    Fragmented WebSocket messages are reassembled by mitmproxy and the
+    Fragmented WebSocket messages are reassembled by mitmproxy and then
     represented as a single instance of this class.
 
     The [WebSocket RFC](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6455) specifies both
     text and binary messages. To avoid a whole class of nasty type confusion bugs,
-    mitmproxy stores all message contents as binary. If you need text, you can decode the `content` property:
+    mitmproxy stores all message contents as `bytes`. If you need a `str`, you can access the `text` property
+    on text messages:
 
-    >>> from wsproto.frame_protocol import Opcode
-    >>> if message.type == Opcode.TEXT:
-    >>>     text = message.content.decode()
-
-    Per the WebSocket spec, text messages always use UTF-8 encoding.
+    >>> if message.is_text:
+    >>>     text = message.text
     """
 
     from_client: bool
@@ -40,8 +38,7 @@ class WebSocketMessage(serializable.Serializable):
     """
     The message type, as per RFC 6455's [opcode](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6455#section-5.2).
 
-    Note that mitmproxy will always store the message contents as *bytes*.
-    A dedicated `.text` property for text messages is planned, see https://github.com/mitmproxy/mitmproxy/pull/4486.
+    Mitmproxy currently only exposes messages assembled from `TEXT` and `BINARY` frames.
     """
     content: bytes
     """A byte-string representing the content of this message."""
@@ -81,10 +78,39 @@ class WebSocketMessage(serializable.Serializable):
         else:
             return repr(self.content)
 
+    @property
+    def is_text(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        `True` if this message is assembled from WebSocket `TEXT` frames,
+        `False` if it is assembled from `BINARY` frames.
+        """
+        return self.type == Opcode.TEXT
+
     def kill(self):
         # Likely to be replaced with .drop() in the future, see https://github.com/mitmproxy/mitmproxy/pull/4486
         self.killed = True
 
+    @property
+    def text(self) -> str:
+        """
+        The message content as text.
+
+        This attribute is only available if `WebSocketMessage.is_text` is `True`.
+
+        *See also:* `WebSocketMessage.content`
+        """
+        if self.type != Opcode.TEXT:
+            raise AttributeError(f"{self.type.name.title()} WebSocket frames do not have a 'text' attribute.")
+
+        return self.content.decode()
+
+    @text.setter
+    def text(self, value: str) -> None:
+        if self.type != Opcode.TEXT:
+            raise AttributeError(f"{self.type.name.title()} WebSocket frames do not have a 'text' attribute.")
+
+        self.content = value.encode()
+
 
 class WebSocketData(stateobject.StateObject):
     """
@@ -97,9 +123,9 @@ class WebSocketData(stateobject.StateObject):
 
     closed_by_client: Optional[bool] = None
     """
-    True if the client closed the connection,
-    False if the server closed the connection,
-    None if the connection is active.
+    `True` if the client closed the connection,
+    `False` if the server closed the connection,
+    `None` if the connection is active.
     """
     close_code: Optional[int] = None
     """[Close Code](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6455#section-7.1.5)"""
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_proxyserver.py b/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_proxyserver.py
index e2d8d3c4b..be644a963 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_proxyserver.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_proxyserver.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ async def test_start_stop():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_inject():
+async def test_inject() -> None:
     async def server_handler(reader: asyncio.StreamReader, writer: asyncio.StreamWriter):
         while s := await reader.read(1):
             writer.write(s.upper())
@@ -112,39 +112,39 @@ async def test_inject():
 
             writer.write(b"a")
             assert await reader.read(1) == b"A"
-            ps.inject_tcp(state.flows[0], False, "b")
+            ps.inject_tcp(state.flows[0], False, b"b")
             assert await reader.read(1) == b"B"
-            ps.inject_tcp(state.flows[0], True, "c")
+            ps.inject_tcp(state.flows[0], True, b"c")
             assert await reader.read(1) == b"c"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_inject_fail():
+async def test_inject_fail() -> None:
     ps = Proxyserver()
     with taddons.context(ps) as tctx:
         ps.inject_websocket(
             tflow.tflow(),
             True,
-            "test"
+            b"test"
         )
         await tctx.master.await_log("Cannot inject WebSocket messages into non-WebSocket flows.", level="warn")
         ps.inject_tcp(
             tflow.tflow(),
             True,
-            "test"
+            b"test"
         )
         await tctx.master.await_log("Cannot inject TCP messages into non-TCP flows.", level="warn")
 
         ps.inject_websocket(
             tflow.twebsocketflow(),
             True,
-            "test"
+            b"test"
         )
         await tctx.master.await_log("Flow is not from a live connection.", level="warn")
         ps.inject_websocket(
             tflow.ttcpflow(),
             True,
-            "test"
+            b"test"
         )
         await tctx.master.await_log("Flow is not from a live connection.", level="warn")
 
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/test_command.py b/test/mitmproxy/test_command.py
index 808cc18b0..a74503841 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/test_command.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/test_command.py
@@ -367,24 +367,6 @@ class TestCommand:
                 ],
                 [],
             ],
-            [
-                r'cmd13 "a \"b\" c"',
-                [
-                    command.ParseResult(value="cmd13", type=mitmproxy.types.Cmd, valid=False),
-                    command.ParseResult(value=" ", type=mitmproxy.types.Space, valid=True),
-                    command.ParseResult(value=r'"a \"b\" c"', type=mitmproxy.types.Unknown, valid=False),
-                ],
-                [],
-            ],
-            [
-                r"cmd14 'a \'b\' c'",
-                [
-                    command.ParseResult(value="cmd14", type=mitmproxy.types.Cmd, valid=False),
-                    command.ParseResult(value=" ", type=mitmproxy.types.Space, valid=True),
-                    command.ParseResult(value=r"'a \'b\' c'", type=mitmproxy.types.Unknown, valid=False),
-                ],
-                [],
-            ],
             [
                 "    spaces_at_the_begining_are_not_stripped",
                 [
@@ -436,12 +418,6 @@ def test_simple():
             c.call("nonexistent")
         with pytest.raises(exceptions.CommandError, match="Unknown"):
             c.execute("\\")
-        with pytest.raises(exceptions.CommandError, match="Unknown"):
-            c.execute(r"\'")
-        with pytest.raises(exceptions.CommandError, match="Unknown"):
-            c.execute(r"\"")
-        with pytest.raises(exceptions.CommandError, match="Unknown"):
-            c.execute(r"\"")
 
         c.add("empty", a.empty)
         c.execute("empty")
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/test_command_lexer.py b/test/mitmproxy/test_command_lexer.py
index ec9940874..f94255cdb 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/test_command_lexer.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/test_command_lexer.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ from mitmproxy import command_lexer
         ("'foo'", True),
         ('"foo"', True),
         ("'foo' bar'", False),
-        ("'foo\\' bar'", True),
         ("'foo' 'bar'", False),
         ("'foo'x", False),
         ('''"foo    ''', True),
@@ -43,8 +42,19 @@ def test_expr(test_input, expected):
 
 
 @given(text())
+@example(r"foo")
+@example(r"'foo\''")
+@example(r"'foo\"'")
+@example(r'"foo\""')
+@example(r'"foo\'"')
+@example("'foo\\'")
+@example("'foo\\\\'")
+@example("\"foo\\'\"")
+@example("\"foo\\\\'\"")
+@example('\'foo\\"\'')
+@example(r"\\\foo")
 def test_quote_unquote_cycle(s):
-    assert command_lexer.unquote(command_lexer.quote(s)) == s
+    assert command_lexer.unquote(command_lexer.quote(s)).replace(r"\x22", '"') == s
 
 
 @given(text())
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/test_types.py b/test/mitmproxy/test_types.py
index 1df108f17..e0f56995f 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/test_types.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/test_types.py
@@ -40,6 +40,21 @@ def test_str():
         assert b.is_valid(tctx.master.commands, str, 1) is False
         assert b.completion(tctx.master.commands, str, "") == []
         assert b.parse(tctx.master.commands, str, "foo") == "foo"
+        assert b.parse(tctx.master.commands, str, r"foo\nbar") == "foo\nbar"
+        assert b.parse(tctx.master.commands, str, r"\N{BELL}") == "🔔"
+        with pytest.raises(mitmproxy.exceptions.TypeError):
+            b.parse(tctx.master.commands, bool, r"\N{UNKNOWN UNICODE SYMBOL!}")
+
+
+def test_bytes():
+    with taddons.context() as tctx:
+        b = mitmproxy.types._BytesType()
+        assert b.is_valid(tctx.master.commands, bytes, b"foo") is True
+        assert b.is_valid(tctx.master.commands, bytes, 1) is False
+        assert b.completion(tctx.master.commands, bytes, "") == []
+        assert b.parse(tctx.master.commands, bytes, "foo") == b"foo"
+        with pytest.raises(mitmproxy.exceptions.TypeError):
+            b.parse(tctx.master.commands, bytes, "incomplete escape sequence\\")
 
 
 def test_unknown():
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/test_websocket.py b/test/mitmproxy/test_websocket.py
index 26d7b0f6a..d7404f290 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/test_websocket.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/test_websocket.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import pytest
+
 from mitmproxy import http
 from mitmproxy import websocket
 from mitmproxy.test import tflow
@@ -26,3 +28,18 @@ class TestWebSocketMessage:
         assert not m.killed
         m.kill()
         assert m.killed
+
+    def test_text(self):
+        txt = websocket.WebSocketMessage(Opcode.TEXT, True, b"foo")
+        bin = websocket.WebSocketMessage(Opcode.BINARY, True, b"foo")
+
+        assert txt.is_text
+        assert txt.text == "foo"
+        txt.text = "bar"
+        assert txt.content == b"bar"
+
+        assert not bin.is_text
+        with pytest.raises(AttributeError, match="do not have a 'text' attribute."):
+            _ = bin.text
+        with pytest.raises(AttributeError, match="do not have a 'text' attribute."):
+            bin.text = "bar"
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/tools/console/test_defaultkeys.py b/test/mitmproxy/tools/console/test_defaultkeys.py
index f87c20224..389a8eefe 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/tools/console/test_defaultkeys.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/tools/console/test_defaultkeys.py
@@ -20,18 +20,18 @@ async def test_commands_exist():
     await m.load_flow(tflow())
 
     for binding in km.bindings:
-        parsed, _ = command_manager.parse_partial(binding.command.strip())
-
-        cmd = parsed[0].value
-        args = [
-            a.value for a in parsed[1:]
-            if a.type != mitmproxy.types.Space
-        ]
-
-        assert cmd in m.commands.commands
-
-        cmd_obj = m.commands.commands[cmd]
         try:
+            parsed, _ = command_manager.parse_partial(binding.command.strip())
+
+            cmd = parsed[0].value
+            args = [
+                a.value for a in parsed[1:]
+                if a.type != mitmproxy.types.Space
+            ]
+
+            assert cmd in m.commands.commands
+
+            cmd_obj = m.commands.commands[cmd]
             cmd_obj.prepare_args(args)
         except Exception as e:
-            raise ValueError(f"Invalid command: {binding.command}") from e
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid binding: {binding.command}") from e