diff --git a/text_formatter.go b/text_formatter.go
index ef799f1..ba88854 100644
--- a/text_formatter.go
+++ b/text_formatter.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
-	"unicode/utf8"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -53,8 +52,9 @@ type TextFormatter struct {
 	// QuoteEmptyFields will wrap empty fields in quotes if true
 	QuoteEmptyFields bool
 
-	// QuoteRune can be set to override the default quote style
-	QuoteRune rune
+	// QuoteCharacter can be set to the override the default quoting character "
+	// with something else. For example: ', or `.
+	QuoteCharacter string
 
 	// Whether the logger's out is to a terminal
 	isTerminal bool
@@ -62,6 +62,15 @@ type TextFormatter struct {
 	sync.Once
 }
 
+func (f *TextFormatter) init(entry *Entry) {
+	if len(f.QuoteCharacter) == 0 {
+		f.QuoteCharacter = "\""
+	}
+	if entry.Logger != nil {
+		f.isTerminal = IsTerminal(entry.Logger.Out)
+	}
+}
+
 func (f *TextFormatter) Format(entry *Entry) ([]byte, error) {
 	var b *bytes.Buffer
 	keys := make([]string, 0, len(entry.Data))
@@ -80,14 +89,7 @@ func (f *TextFormatter) Format(entry *Entry) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	prefixFieldClashes(entry.Data)
 
-	f.Do(func() {
-		if f.QuoteRune == 0 || !utf8.ValidRune(f.QuoteRune) {
-			f.QuoteRune = '"'
-		}
-		if entry.Logger != nil {
-			f.isTerminal = IsTerminal(entry.Logger.Out)
-		}
-	})
+	f.Do(func() { f.init(entry) })
 
 	isColored := (f.ForceColors || f.isTerminal) && !f.DisableColors
 
@@ -172,14 +174,14 @@ func (f *TextFormatter) appendValue(b *bytes.Buffer, value interface{}) {
 		if !f.needsQuoting(value) {
 			b.WriteString(value)
 		} else {
-			fmt.Fprintf(b, "%c%v%c", f.QuoteRune, value, f.QuoteRune)
+			fmt.Fprintf(b, "%s%v%s", f.QuoteCharacter, value, f.QuoteCharacter)
 		}
 	case error:
 		errmsg := value.Error()
 		if !f.needsQuoting(errmsg) {
 			b.WriteString(errmsg)
 		} else {
-			fmt.Fprintf(b, "%c%v%c", f.QuoteRune, errmsg, f.QuoteRune)
+			fmt.Fprintf(b, "%s%v%s", f.QuoteCharacter, errmsg, f.QuoteCharacter)
 		}
 	default:
 		fmt.Fprint(b, value)
diff --git a/text_formatter_test.go b/text_formatter_test.go
index fce4cfe..9793b5f 100644
--- a/text_formatter_test.go
+++ b/text_formatter_test.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ func TestQuoting(t *testing.T) {
 	checkQuoting := func(q bool, value interface{}) {
 		b, _ := tf.Format(WithField("test", value))
 		idx := bytes.Index(b, ([]byte)("test="))
-		cont := bytes.ContainsRune(b[idx+5:], tf.QuoteRune)
+		cont := bytes.Contains(b[idx+5:], []byte(tf.QuoteCharacter))
 		if cont != q {
 			if q {
 				t.Errorf("quoting expected for: %#v", value)
@@ -34,16 +34,23 @@ func TestQuoting(t *testing.T) {
 	checkQuoting(false, errors.New("invalid"))
 	checkQuoting(true, errors.New("invalid argument"))
 
-	// Test for custom quote rune.
-	tf.QuoteRune = '`'
+	// Test for custom quote character.
+	tf.QuoteCharacter = "`"
 	checkQuoting(false, "")
 	checkQuoting(false, "abcd")
 	checkQuoting(true, "/foobar")
 	checkQuoting(true, errors.New("invalid argument"))
 
+	// Test for multi-character quotes.
+	tf.QuoteCharacter = "§~±"
+	checkQuoting(false, "abcd")
+	checkQuoting(true, errors.New("invalid argument"))
+
 	// Test for quoting empty fields.
 	tf.QuoteEmptyFields = true
 	checkQuoting(true, "")
+	checkQuoting(false, "abcd")
+	checkQuoting(true, errors.New("invalid argument"))
 }
 
 func TestTimestampFormat(t *testing.T) {
@@ -52,11 +59,7 @@ func TestTimestampFormat(t *testing.T) {
 		customStr, _ := customFormatter.Format(WithField("test", "test"))
 		timeStart := bytes.Index(customStr, ([]byte)("time="))
 		timeEnd := bytes.Index(customStr, ([]byte)("level="))
-		timeStr := customStr[timeStart+5 : timeEnd-1]
-		if timeStr[0] == byte(customFormatter.QuoteRune) &&
-			timeStr[len(timeStr)-1] == byte(customFormatter.QuoteRune) {
-			timeStr = timeStr[1 : len(timeStr)-1]
-		}
+		timeStr := customStr[timeStart+5+len(customFormatter.QuoteCharacter) : timeEnd-1-len(customFormatter.QuoteCharacter)]
 		if format == "" {
 			format = time.RFC3339
 		}