diff --git a/lib/readline.js b/lib/readline.js
index 6164bcc85fb8ff..815b86e9f52a80 100644
--- a/lib/readline.js
+++ b/lib/readline.js
@@ -973,8 +973,9 @@ exports.emitKeypressEvents = emitKeypressEvents;
 */
 
 // Regexes used for ansi escape code splitting
-const metaKeyCodeReAnywhere = /(?:\x1b)([a-zA-Z0-9])/;
-const functionKeyCodeReAnywhere = new RegExp('(?:\x1b+)(O|N|\\[|\\[\\[)(?:' + [
+const metaKeyCodeReAnywhere = /(?:(?:\x1b|\x9b))([a-zA-Z0-9])/;
+const functionKeyCodeReAnywhere = new RegExp('(?:(?:\x1b|\x9b)+)' +
+    '(O|N|\\[|\\[\\[)(?:' + [
   '(\\d+)(?:;(\\d+))?([~^$])',
   '(?:M([@ #!a`])(.)(.))', // mouse
   '(?:1;)?(\\d+)?([a-zA-Z])'
@@ -994,11 +995,11 @@ function* emitKeys(stream) {
       shift: false
     };
 
-    if (ch === '\x1b') {
+    if (ch === '\x1b' || ch === '\x9b') {
       escaped = true;
       s += (ch = yield);
 
-      if (ch === '\x1b') {
+      if (ch === '\x1b' || ch === '\x9b') {
         s += (ch = yield);
       }
     }
@@ -1219,7 +1220,7 @@ function* emitKeys(stream) {
       key.name = 'backspace';
       key.meta = escaped;
 
-    } else if (ch === '\x1b') {
+    } else if (ch === '\x1b' || ch === '\x9b') {
       // escape key
       key.name = 'escape';
       key.meta = escaped;