diff --git a/compiler/cbuilderbase.nim b/compiler/cbuilderbase.nim
index 3cb42bbd95c39..046f9b8ed2bea 100644
--- a/compiler/cbuilderbase.nim
+++ b/compiler/cbuilderbase.nim
@@ -282,3 +282,48 @@ type
     WaitingIf, WaitingElseIf, InBlock
   IfBuilder* = object
     state*: IfBuilderState
+
+when buildNifc:
+  import std/assertions
+
+  proc cSymbol*(s: string): Snippet =
+    result = newStringOfCap(s.len)
+    for c in s:
+      case c
+      of 'A'..'Z', 'a'..'z', '0'..'9', '_':
+        result.add(c)
+      else:
+        const HexChars = "0123456789ABCDEF"
+        result.add('\\')
+        result.add(HexChars[(c.byte shr 4) and 0xF])
+        result.add(HexChars[c.byte and 0xF])
+    result.add(".c")
+  
+  proc getHexChar(c: char): byte =
+    case c
+    of '0'..'9': c.byte - '0'.byte
+    of 'A'..'Z': c.byte - 'A'.byte + 10
+    of 'a'..'z': c.byte - 'a'.byte + 10
+    else: raiseAssert "invalid hex char " & c
+
+  proc unescapeCSymbol*(s: string): Snippet =
+    assert s.len >= 2 and s[^2 .. ^1] == ".c"
+    let viewLen = s.len - 2
+    result = newStringOfCap(viewLen)
+    var i = 0
+    while i < viewLen:
+      case s[i]
+      of 'A'..'Z', 'a'..'z', '0'..'9', '_':
+        result.add(s[i])
+      of '\\':
+        assert i + 2 < viewLen
+        let b = (getHexChar(s[i + 1]) shl 4) or getHexChar(s[i + 2])
+        result.add(char(b))
+        inc i, 2
+      else:
+        raiseAssert "invalid char in escaped c symbol " & s[i]
+      inc i
+
+else:
+  template cSymbol*(x: string): Snippet = x
+  template unescapeCSymbol*(x: Snippet): string = x
diff --git a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
index 1a9b4cf9583b0..16459147c42f1 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
@@ -1425,7 +1425,7 @@ proc genEcho(p: BProc, n: PNode) =
     p.module.includeHeader("<base/log.h>")
     p.module.includeHeader("<util/string.h>")
     var a: TLoc
-    let logName = "Genode::log"
+    let logName = cSymbol("Genode::log")
     var logCall: CallBuilder
     p.s(cpsStmts).addStmt():
       p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(logCall, logName):
@@ -1436,7 +1436,7 @@ proc genEcho(p: BProc, n: PNode) =
           elif n.len != 0:
             a = initLocExpr(p, it)
             let ra = a.rdLoc
-            let fnName = "Genode::Cstring"
+            let fnName = cSymbol("Genode::Cstring")
             p.s(cpsStmts).addArgument(logCall):
               case detectStrVersion(p.module)
               of 2:
@@ -3019,8 +3019,8 @@ proc genMagicExpr(p: BProc, e: PNode, d: var TLoc, op: TMagic) =
     # - not sure, and it wouldn't work if the symbol behind the magic isn't
     #   somehow forward-declared from some other usage, but it is *possible*
     if lfNoDecl notin opr.loc.flags:
-      let prc = magicsys.getCompilerProc(p.module.g.graph, $opr.loc.snippet)
-      assert prc != nil, $opr.loc.snippet
+      let prc = magicsys.getCompilerProc(p.module.g.graph, unescapeCSymbol(opr.loc.snippet))
+      assert prc != nil, unescapeCSymbol(opr.loc.snippet)
       # HACK:
       # Explicitly add this proc as declared here so the cgsym call doesn't
       # add a forward declaration - without this we could end up with the same
@@ -3033,7 +3033,7 @@ proc genMagicExpr(p: BProc, e: PNode, d: var TLoc, op: TMagic) =
       let wasDeclared = containsOrIncl(p.module.declaredProtos, prc.id)
       # Make the function behind the magic get actually generated - this will
       # not lead to a forward declaration! The genCall will lead to one.
-      cgsym(p.module, $opr.loc.snippet)
+      cgsym(p.module, unescapeCSymbol(opr.loc.snippet))
       # make sure we have pointer-initialising code for hot code reloading
       if not wasDeclared and p.hcrOn:
         let name = mangleDynLibProc(prc)
diff --git a/compiler/ccgstmts.nim b/compiler/ccgstmts.nim
index e5fb1bfd18ecd..7cb62ced6adfd 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgstmts.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgstmts.nim
@@ -1104,10 +1104,10 @@ proc genOrdinalCase(p: BProc, n: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
       if not hasDefault:
         if hasBuiltinUnreachable in CC[p.config.cCompiler].props:
           p.s(cpsStmts).addSwitchElse():
-            p.s(cpsStmts).addCallStmt("__builtin_unreachable")
+            p.s(cpsStmts).addCallStmt(cSymbol("__builtin_unreachable"))
         elif hasAssume in CC[p.config.cCompiler].props:
           p.s(cpsStmts).addSwitchElse():
-            p.s(cpsStmts).addCallStmt("__assume", cIntValue(0))
+            p.s(cpsStmts).addCallStmt(cSymbol("__assume"), cIntValue(0))
   if lend != "": fixLabel(p, lend)
 
 proc genCase(p: BProc, t: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
@@ -1618,20 +1618,20 @@ proc genTrySetjmp(p: BProc, t: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
     p.s(cpsStmts).addCallStmt(cgsymValue(p.module, "pushSafePoint"), cAddr(safePoint))
     if isDefined(p.config, "nimStdSetjmp"):
       p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("setjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"))
+        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("setjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"))
     elif isDefined(p.config, "nimSigSetjmp"):
       p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("sigsetjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"), cIntValue(0))
+        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("sigsetjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"), cIntValue(0))
     elif isDefined(p.config, "nimBuiltinSetjmp"):
       p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("__builtin_setjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"))
+        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("__builtin_setjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"))
     elif isDefined(p.config, "nimRawSetjmp"):
       if isDefined(p.config, "mswindows"):
         if isDefined(p.config, "vcc") or isDefined(p.config, "clangcl"):
           # For the vcc compiler, use `setjmp()` with one argument.
           # See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/c-runtime-library/reference/setjmp?view=msvc-170
           p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-            p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("setjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"))
+            p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("setjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"))
         else:
           # The Windows `_setjmp()` takes two arguments, with the second being an
           # undocumented buffer used by the SEH mechanism for stack unwinding.
@@ -1640,13 +1640,13 @@ proc genTrySetjmp(p: BProc, t: PNode, d: var TLoc) =
           # it to NULL.
           # More details: https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/issues/3121
           p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-            p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("_setjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"), cIntValue(0))
+            p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("_setjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"), cIntValue(0))
       else:
           p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-            p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("_setjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"))
+            p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("_setjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"))
     else:
       p.s(cpsStmts).addFieldAssignmentWithValue(safePoint, "status"):
-        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall("setjmp", dotField(safePoint, "context"))
+        p.s(cpsStmts).addCall(cSymbol("setjmp"), dotField(safePoint, "context"))
     nonQuirkyIf = initIfStmt(p.s(cpsStmts))
     initElifBranch(p.s(cpsStmts), nonQuirkyIf, removeSinglePar(
       cOp(Equal, dotField(safePoint, "status"), cIntValue(0))))
diff --git a/compiler/cgen.nim b/compiler/cgen.nim
index 17bb6ef06635e..ce3a1042dc683 100644
--- a/compiler/cgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/cgen.nim
@@ -1736,7 +1736,7 @@ proc genNimMainBody(m: BModule, preMainCode: Snippet) =
   genNimMainProc(m, preMainCode)
 
 proc genPosixCMain(m: BModule) =
-  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader("main", CInt, cProcParams(
+  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(cSymbol("main"), CInt, cProcParams(
     (name: "argc", typ: CInt),
     (name: "args", typ: ptrType(ptrType(CChar))),
     (name: "env", typ: ptrType(ptrType(CChar)))))
@@ -1748,7 +1748,7 @@ proc genPosixCMain(m: BModule) =
   m.s[cfsProcs].addNewline()
 
 proc genStandaloneCMain(m: BModule) =
-  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader("main", CInt, cProcParams())
+  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(cSymbol("main"), CInt, cProcParams())
   m.s[cfsProcs].finishProcHeaderWithBody():
     genMainProcs(m)
     m.s[cfsProcs].addReturn(cIntValue(0))
@@ -1758,10 +1758,10 @@ proc genWinNimMain(m: BModule, preMainCode: Snippet) =
   genNimMainBody(m, preMainCode)
 
 proc genWinCMain(m: BModule) =
-  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(ccStdCall, "WinMain", CInt, cProcParams(
-    (name: "hCurInstance", typ: "HINSTANCE"),
-    (name: "hPrevInstance", typ: "HINSTANCE"),
-    (name: "lpCmdLine", typ: "LPSTR"),
+  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(ccStdCall, cSymbol("WinMain"), CInt, cProcParams(
+    (name: "hCurInstance", typ: cSymbol("HINSTANCE")),
+    (name: "hPrevInstance", typ: cSymbol("HINSTANCE")),
+    (name: "lpCmdLine", typ: cSymbol("LPSTR")),
     (name: "nCmdShow", typ: CInt)))
   m.s[cfsProcs].finishProcHeaderWithBody():
     genMainProcsWithResult(m)
@@ -1774,12 +1774,12 @@ proc genWinNimDllMain(m: BModule, preMainCode: Snippet) =
 
 proc genWinCDllMain(m: BModule) =
   # used to use WINAPI macro, now ccStdCall:
-  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(ccStdCall, "DllMain", "BOOL", cProcParams(
-    (name: "hinstDLL", typ: "HINSTANCE"),
-    (name: "fwdreason", typ: "DWORD"),
-    (name: "lpvReserved", typ: "LPVOID")))
+  m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(ccStdCall, cSymbol("DllMain"), cSymbol("BOOL"), cProcParams(
+    (name: "hinstDLL", typ: cSymbol("HINSTANCE")),
+    (name: "fwdreason", typ: cSymbol("DWORD")),
+    (name: "lpvReserved", typ: cSymbol("LPVOID"))))
   m.s[cfsProcs].finishProcHeaderWithBody():
-    m.s[cfsProcs].addSingleIfStmt(removeSinglePar(cOp(Equal, "fwdreason", "DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH"))):
+    m.s[cfsProcs].addSingleIfStmt(removeSinglePar(cOp(Equal, "fwdreason", cSymbol("DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH")))):
       genMainProcs(m)
     m.s[cfsProcs].addReturn(cIntValue(1))
   m.s[cfsProcs].addNewline()
@@ -1795,7 +1795,7 @@ proc genPosixCDllMain(m: BModule) =
   m.s[cfsProcs].addNewline()
 
 proc genGenodeNimMain(m: BModule, preMainCode: Snippet) =
-  let typName = "Genode::Env"
+  let typName = cSymbol("Genode::Env")
   m.s[cfsProcs].addDeclWithVisibility(Extern):
     m.s[cfsProcs].addVar(name = "nim_runtime_env", typ = ptrType(typName))
   m.s[cfsProcs].addDeclWithVisibility(ExternC):
@@ -1804,8 +1804,8 @@ proc genGenodeNimMain(m: BModule, preMainCode: Snippet) =
   genNimMainBody(m, preMainCode)
 
 proc genComponentConstruct(m: BModule) =
-  let fnName = "Libc::Component::construct"
-  let typName = "Libc::Env"
+  let fnName = cSymbol("Libc::Component::construct")
+  let typName = cSymbol("Libc::Env")
   m.s[cfsProcs].addProcHeader(fnName, CVoid, cProcParams((name: "env", typ: cppRefType(typName))))
   m.s[cfsProcs].finishProcHeaderWithBody():
     m.s[cfsProcs].addLineComment("Set Env used during runtime initialization")
diff --git a/compiler/pragmas.nim b/compiler/pragmas.nim
index c38fa2e62af6a..06e4f7f8f27d1 100644
--- a/compiler/pragmas.nim
+++ b/compiler/pragmas.nim
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 import
   condsyms, ast, astalgo, idents, semdata, msgs, renderer,
   wordrecg, ropes, options, extccomp, magicsys, trees,
-  types, lookups, lineinfos, pathutils, linter, modulepaths
+  types, lookups, lineinfos, pathutils, linter, modulepaths,
+  cbuilderbase
 
 from sigmatch import trySuggestPragmas
 
@@ -156,12 +157,12 @@ proc pragmaEnsures(c: PContext, n: PNode) =
 proc setExternName(c: PContext; s: PSym, extname: string, info: TLineInfo) =
   # special cases to improve performance:
   if extname == "$1":
-    s.loc.snippet = rope(s.name.s)
+    s.loc.snippet = cSymbol(s.name.s)
   elif '$' notin extname:
-    s.loc.snippet = rope(extname)
+    s.loc.snippet = cSymbol(extname)
   else:
     try:
-      s.loc.snippet = rope(extname % s.name.s)
+      s.loc.snippet = cSymbol(extname % s.name.s)
     except ValueError:
       localError(c.config, info, "invalid extern name: '" & extname & "'. (Forgot to escape '$'?)")
   when hasFFI: