diff --git a/command/info_sub/variables.sh b/command/info_sub/variables.sh
index dd268175..9e3fab8b 100644
--- a/command/info_sub/variables.sh
+++ b/command/info_sub/variables.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #   with bashdb; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to the Free Software
 #   Foundation, 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111 USA.
 
-
 # V [![pat]] List variables and values for whose variables names which
 # match pat $1. If ! is used, list variables that *don't* match.
 # If pat ($1) is omitted, use * (everything) for the pattern.
@@ -56,147 +55,130 @@ See also:
 
 ' 1
 
-if ! typeset -F getopts_long >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+if ! typeset -F getopts_long >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    # shellcheck source=./../../getopts_long.sh
     . "${_Dbg_libdir}/getopts_long.sh"
 fi
 
-# Should declare typset_flags before calling.
-# That it the implit returned value
-function _Dbg_info_variables_parse_options {
-
-    typeset -i _Dbg_rc=0
+function _Dbg_do_info_variables() {
+    declare _Dbg_typeset_flags=""
+    # 0: print variables with flags
+    # 1: filter by flags in $_Dbg_typeset_flags and don't print flags
+    declare -i _Dbg_typeset_filtered=1
+    _Dbg_info_variables_parse_options "$@"
+    (($? != 0)) && return
+
+    # Caveats:
+    #   Bash >= 5.2: 'declare -p' properly escapes special characters within $'', e.g. $'\n\t'
+    #   Bash < 5.2: 'declare -p' does not escape special characters within $'', but only 'declare' does
+    #   "declare -p" outputs variables without values, but "declare" does not
+    #
+    # To work with all of Bash 5.x, we're collecting all variables and values from 'declare'.
+    # Because a plain "declare" also prints functions we're only iterating until the first function definition was found.
+    #
+    # Then we run declare with the filter parameters (-p, -i, etc.) to retrieve the variables to output.
+
+    # create an associative array of all available variables with bash-escaped values
+    declare _Dbg_var_line
+    declare -A _Dbg_var_values=()
+    while IFS=$'\n' read -r _Dbg_var_line; do
+        # skip _Dbg variables
+        if [[ $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^_Dbg_ ]]; then continue; fi
+
+        # break when first function was found
+        if [[ $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^[^=\ ]+\ \(\)$ || $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^\{ ]]; then
+            break
+        fi
+
+        # record escaped key-value pair, allow for empty values as in "-- name="
+        if [[ $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^([^=]+)=(.*)$ ]]; then
+            _Dbg_var_values["${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"]="${BASH_REMATCH[2]}"
+        fi
+    done < <(declare)
+
+    declare _Dbg_var_flags _Dbg_var_name
+    if [[ $_Dbg_typeset_filtered -eq 0 ]]; then
+        # run "declare -p" and print flags, name and value
+        while IFS=$'\n' read -r _Dbg_var_line; do
+            if [[ $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^(declare|local)\ (-[^\ ]+)\ ([^=]+)= ]]; then
+                _Dbg_var_name="${BASH_REMATCH[3]}"
+                if [[ -n ${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]+x} ]]; then
+                  _Dbg_msg_verbatim "${BASH_REMATCH[2]} $_Dbg_var_name=${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]}"
+                fi
+            elif [[ $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^(declare|local)\ (-[^\ ]+)\ ([^=]+) ]]; then
+                # no value, only print flags and name
+                _Dbg_var_name="${BASH_REMATCH[3]}"
+                if [[ -n ${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]+x} ]]; then
+                  _Dbg_msg_verbatim "${BASH_REMATCH[2]} $_Dbg_var_name"
+                fi
+            fi
+        done < <(declare -p)
+    elif [[ -n "$_Dbg_typeset_flags" ]]; then
+        # run "declare $_Dbg_typeset_flags" and print name and value
+        while IFS=$'\n' read -r _Dbg_var_line; do
+            if [[ $_Dbg_var_line =~ ^(declare|local)\ (-[^\ ]+)\ ([^=]+)= ]]; then
+                _Dbg_var_name="${BASH_REMATCH[3]}"
+                if [[ -n ${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]+x} ]]; then
+                    _Dbg_msg_verbatim "$_Dbg_var_name=${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]}"
+                fi
+            fi
+        done < <(declare $_Dbg_typeset_flags)
+    else
+        # for a plain "declare" just print available name=value pairs to avoid calling "declare",
+        # which would output function declarations
+        for _Dbg_var_name in "${!_Dbg_var_values[@]}"; do
+            if [[ -n ${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]+x} ]]; then
+              _Dbg_msg_verbatim "$_Dbg_var_name=${_Dbg_var_values["$_Dbg_var_name"]}"
+            fi
+        done
+    fi
+}
 
+# Parse flags passed to the "info variables" command.
+# The caller should declare _Dbg_typeset_flags and _Dbg_typeset_filtered before calling,
+# which are implicitly returned values.
+function _Dbg_info_variables_parse_options {
     _Dbg_typeset_flags=""
     _Dbg_typeset_filtered=1
 
-    OPTLIND=''
-    while getopts_long irxaAtp opt  \
-	integer no_argument     \
-        readonly no_argument    \
-        exports no_argument     \
-        indexed no_argument     \
-        associative no_argument     \
-        trace no_argument     \
-        properties no_argument     \
-	'' $@
-    do
-	case "$opt" in
-	    i | integer )
-		_Dbg_typeset_flags="-i $_Dbg_typeset_flags";;
-	    r | readonly )
-		_Dbg_typeset_flags="-r _$_Dbg_typeset_flags";;
-	    x | exports )
-		_Dbg_typeset_flags="-x $_Dbg_typeset_flags";;
-	    a | indexed )
-		_Dbg_typeset_flags="-a $_Dbg_typeset_flags";;
-	    A | associative )
-		_Dbg_typeset_flags="-A $_Dbg_typeset_flags";;
-	    t | trace )
-		_Dbg_typeset_flags="-t $_Dbg_typeset_flags";;
-	    p | properties )
-		_Dbg_typeset_filtered=0;;
-	    * )
-		_Dbg_errmsg "Invalid argument in $@; use only -x, -i, -r, -a, -A, -t, or -p"
-		_Dbg_rc=1
-		;;
-	esac
+    typeset -i _Dbg_rc=0
+    typeset OPTLIND=''
+    while getopts_long irxaAtp opt \
+        integer no_argument \
+        readonly no_argument \
+        exports no_argument \
+        indexed no_argument \
+        associative no_argument \
+        trace no_argument \
+        properties no_argument \
+        '' "$@"; do
+        case "$opt" in
+        i | integer)
+            _Dbg_typeset_flags="-i $_Dbg_typeset_flags"
+            ;;
+        r | readonly)
+            _Dbg_typeset_flags="-r $_Dbg_typeset_flags"
+            ;;
+        x | exports)
+            _Dbg_typeset_flags="-x $_Dbg_typeset_flags"
+            ;;
+        a | indexed)
+            _Dbg_typeset_flags="-a $_Dbg_typeset_flags"
+            ;;
+        A | associative)
+            _Dbg_typeset_flags="-A $_Dbg_typeset_flags"
+            ;;
+        t | trace)
+            _Dbg_typeset_flags="-t $_Dbg_typeset_flags"
+            ;;
+        p | properties)
+            _Dbg_typeset_filtered=0
+            ;;
+        *)
+            _Dbg_errmsg "Invalid argument in $*; use only -x, -i, -r, -a, -A, -t, or -p"
+            _Dbg_rc=1
+            ;;
+        esac
     done
     return $_Dbg_rc
 }
-
-function _Dbg_do_info_variables {
-    _Dbg_typeset_flags=""
-    local -i _Dbg_typeset_filtered=1
-    _Dbg_info_variables_parse_options "$@"
-    (( $? != 0 )) && return
-
-    local _Dbg_old_glob="$GLOBIGNORE"
-    GLOBIGNORE="*"
-
-    _Dbg_match='*'
-    local _Dbg_list=$(declare -p $_Dbg_typeset_flags)
-    local _Dbg_old_ifs=${IFS}
-    IFS="
-"
-    local _Dbg_temp=${_Dbg_list}
-    _Dbg_list=""
-    local -i _Dbg_i=0
-    local -a _Dbg_list
-
-    # GLOBIGNORE protects us against using the result of
-    # a glob expansion, but it doesn't protect us from
-    # actually performing it, and this can bring bash down
-    # with a huge _Dbg_source_ variable being globbed.
-    # So here we disable globbing momentarily
-    set -o noglob
-    for _Dbg_item in ${_Dbg_temp}; do
-	_Dbg_list[${_Dbg_i}]="${_Dbg_item}"
-	_Dbg_i=${_Dbg_i}+1
-    done
-    set +o noglob
-    IFS=${_Dbg_old_ifs}
-    local _Dbg_item=""
-    local _Dbg_skip=0
-    local _Dbg_show_cmd=""
-    _Dbg_show_cmd=`echo -e "case \\${_Dbg_item} in \n${_Dbg_match})\n echo yes;;\n*)\necho no;; esac"`
-
-    for (( _Dbg_i=0; (( _Dbg_i < ${#_Dbg_list[@]} )) ; _Dbg_i++ )) ; do
-	_Dbg_item=${_Dbg_list[$_Dbg_i]}
-
-
-	# Ignore all _Dbg_ variables here because the following
-	# substitutions takes a long while when it encounters
-	# a big _Dbg_source_
-	if [[ ${_Dbg_item} =~ "_Dbg_" ]] ; then
-	    continue;
-	fi
-
-
-	case ${_Dbg_item} in
-	    *\ \(\)\ )
-		_Dbg_skip=1
-		;;
-	    \})
-		_Dbg_skip=0
-		continue
-	esac
-	if [[ _Dbg_skip -eq 1 ]]; then
-	    continue
-	fi
-	_Dbg_item=${_Dbg_item/=/==/}
-	_Dbg_item=${_Dbg_item%%=[^=]*}
-	case ${_Dbg_item} in
-	    _=);;
-	    *=)
-		_Dbg_item=${_Dbg_item%=}
-		local _Dbg_show=`eval $_Dbg_show_cmd`
-		if [[ "$_Dbg_show" != "$_Dbg_match_inverted" ]]; then
-		    if [[ -n ${_Dbg_item} ]]; then
-			local _Dbg_var=`declare -p ${_Dbg_typeset_flags} ${_Dbg_item} 2>/dev/null`
-			if [[ -n "$_Dbg_var" ]]; then
-			    # Uncomment the following 3 lines to use literal
-			    # linefeeds
-			    #		_Dbg_var=${_Dbg_var//\\\\n/\\n}
-			    #                _Dbg_var=${_Dbg_var//
-			    #/\n}
-			    # Comment the following 3 lines to use literal linefeeds
-			    _Dbg_var=${_Dbg_var//\\\\n/\\\\\\n}
-			    _Dbg_var=${_Dbg_var//
-				/\\n}
-			    if (( _Dbg_typeset_filtered == 1 )); then
-				_Dbg_var=${_Dbg_var#* * }
-			    else
-				_Dbg_var=${_Dbg_var#* }
-			    fi
-			    _Dbg_msg ${_Dbg_var}
-			fi
-		    fi
-		fi
-		;;
-	    *)
-		;;
-	esac
-
-    done
-    GLOBIGNORE=$_Dbg_old_glob
-}
diff --git a/lib/msg.sh b/lib/msg.sh
index 5c7fb4ad..3c1fb2cd 100644
--- a/lib/msg.sh
+++ b/lib/msg.sh
@@ -131,6 +131,21 @@ function _Dbg_printf_nocr {
     fi
 }
 
+# Like _Dbg_msg but does not evaluate escape sequences which are embedded in the arguments
+# print message to output device
+function _Dbg_msg_verbatim {
+    if (( _Dbg_logging )) ; then
+        builtin echo -E "$@" >>$_Dbg_logging_file
+    fi
+    if (( ! _Dbg_logging_redirect )) ; then
+        if [[ -n $_Dbg_tty  ]] && [[ $_Dbg_tty != '&1' ]] ; then
+            builtin echo -E "$@" >>$_Dbg_tty
+        else
+            builtin echo -E "$@"
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
 typeset _Dbg_dashes='---------------------------------------------------'
 
 # print message to output device
diff --git a/test/unit/test-cmd-info-variables.sh.in b/test/unit/test-cmd-info-variables.sh.in
index 8603e0fa..8dd0934b 100755
--- a/test/unit/test-cmd-info-variables.sh.in
+++ b/test/unit/test-cmd-info-variables.sh.in
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 #!@SH_PROG@
 # -*- shell-script -*-
-test_cmd_info_variables()
+_test_cmd_info_variables()
 {
     typeset -i test_cmd_integer=123
     typeset -x test_cmd_export=exported
     typeset -i too_permissive=0
     typeset -i found=0
+
     for line in $(_Dbg_do_info_variables -i); do
-	if [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_integer="123"' ]]; then
-	    found=1
-	elif [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_export="exported"' ]]; then
-	    too_permissive=1
-	fi
+        if [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_integer="123"' ]]; then
+            found=1
+        elif [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_export="exported"' ]]; then
+            too_permissive=1
+        fi
     done
 
     assertEquals "Filtering with -i must show integer variables" "1" "$found"
@@ -20,11 +21,11 @@ test_cmd_info_variables()
     found=0
     too_permissive=0
     for line in $(_Dbg_do_info_variables -x); do
-	if [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_integer="123"' ]]; then
-	    too_permissive=1
-	elif [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_export="exported"' ]]; then
-	    found=1
-	fi
+    if [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_integer="123"' ]]; then
+        too_permissive=1
+    elif [[ "$line" == 'test_cmd_export="exported"' ]]; then
+        found=1
+    fi
     done
 
     assertEquals "Filtering with -x must show exported variables" "1" "$found"
@@ -32,18 +33,124 @@ test_cmd_info_variables()
     # FIXME try -x -i, and no options. try invalid opts
 }
 
+test_cmd_info_variables_filtered() {
+    # setup variables to test
+    typeset -i _test_integer=42
+
+    typeset _test_scalar="value"
+    typeset _test_scalar_spaces="value value"
+    typeset _test_scalar_linefeed=$'value\nvalue'
+    typeset _test_scalar_empty=""
+
+    typeset -a _test_array_empty=()
+    typeset -a _test_array_one=(first)
+    typeset -a _test_array_two=(first second)
+    typeset -a _test_array_two_linefeed=($'first with spaces\nand linefeed' $'second with spaces\nand linefeed')
+    typeset -a -g _test_array_global=(first)
+
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_empty=()
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_one=(["key_first"]=first)
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_two=(["key first"]=first ["key second"]=second)
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_two_linefeed=(
+        [$'key first\nwith\linefeed']=$'first with spaces\nand linefeed'
+        [$'key second\nwith\nlinefeed']=$'second with spaces\nand linefeed'
+    )
+
+    typeset expected_all
+
+    expected_all="$(
+        cat - <<'EOF'
+-- _test_scalar=value
+-- _test_scalar_linefeed=$'value\nvalue'
+-- _test_scalar_spaces='value value'
+-- _test_scalar_empty=
+-A _test_assoc_array_empty=()
+-A _test_assoc_array_one=([key_first]="first" )
+-A _test_assoc_array_two=(["key first"]="first" ["key second"]="second" )
+-A _test_assoc_array_two_linefeed=([$'key second\nwith\nlinefeed']=$'second with spaces\nand linefeed' [$'key first\nwith\\linefeed']=$'first with spaces\nand linefeed' )
+-a _test_array_empty=()
+-a _test_array_global=([0]="first")
+-a _test_array_one=([0]="first")
+-a _test_array_two=([0]="first" [1]="second")
+-a _test_array_two_linefeed=([0]=$'first with spaces\nand linefeed' [1]=$'second with spaces\nand linefeed')
+-i _test_integer=42
+EOF
+    )"
+
+    assertEquals "Output of 'info variables -p' must match" \
+        "$(echo "$expected_all" | sort)" \
+        "$(_Dbg_do_info_variables -p | grep -E '^-[^ ]+ _test' | sort)"
+
+    assertEquals "Output of 'info variables -p' must not contain _Dbg_ debugger variables" \
+        "" \
+        "$(_Dbg_do_info_variables -p | grep -E '^-[^ ]+ _Dbg_' | sort)"
+}
+
+test_cmd_info_variables_flags() {
+    # setup variables to test
+    typeset -i _test_integer=42
+
+    typeset _test_scalar="value"
+    typeset _test_scalar_spaces="value value"
+    typeset _test_scalar_linefeed=$'value\nvalue'
+
+    typeset -a _test_array_empty=()
+    typeset -a _test_array_one=(first)
+    typeset -a _test_array_two=(first second)
+    typeset -a _test_array_two_linefeed=($'first with spaces\nand linefeed' $'second with spaces\nand linefeed')
+    typeset -a -g _test_array_global=(first)
+
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_empty=()
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_one=(["key_first"]=first)
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_two=(["key first"]=first ["key second"]=second)
+    typeset -A _test_assoc_array_two_linefeed=(
+        [$'key first\nwith\linefeed']=$'first with spaces\nand linefeed'
+        [$'key second\nwith\nlinefeed']=$'second with spaces\nand linefeed'
+    )
+
+    typeset expected_array expected_integer
+
+    expected_array="$(
+        cat - <<'EOF'
+_test_array_empty=()
+_test_array_global=([0]="first")
+_test_array_one=([0]="first")
+_test_array_two=([0]="first" [1]="second")
+_test_array_two_linefeed=([0]=$'first with spaces\nand linefeed' [1]=$'second with spaces\nand linefeed')
+EOF
+    )"
+
+    expected_integer="$(
+        cat - <<'EOF'
+_test_integer=42
+EOF
+    )"
+
+    assertEquals "Output of 'info variables -a' must match" \
+        "$(echo "$expected_array" | sort)" \
+        "$(_Dbg_do_info_variables -a | grep -E '^_test' | sort)"
+
+    assertEquals "Output of 'info variables -i' must match" \
+        "$(echo "$expected_integer" | sort)" \
+        "$(_Dbg_do_info_variables -i | grep -E '^_test' | sort)"
+
+    assertEquals "Output of 'info variables' must not contain _Dbg_ debugger variables" \
+        "" \
+        "$(_Dbg_do_info_variables | grep -E '^_Dbg_' | sort)"
+}
+
 abs_top_srcdir=@abs_top_srcdir@
 if [ ! -d $abs_top_scrdir ] ; then
-  >&2 echo "Something is wrong in configuation: abs_top_srcdir is not set properly."
+  >&2 echo "Something is wrong in configuration: abs_top_srcdir is not set properly."
  exit 1
 fi
 
 # Make sure $abs_top_src has a trailing slash
 abs_top_srcdir=${abs_top_srcdir%%/}/
-. ${abs_top_srcdir}test/unit/helper.sh
-. $abs_top_srcdir/lib/help.sh
-. $abs_top_srcdir/lib/msg.sh
-. $abs_top_srcdir/command/info_sub/variables.sh
+. "${abs_top_srcdir}test/unit/helper.sh"
+. "${abs_top_srcdir}/lib/help.sh"
+. "${abs_top_srcdir}/lib/msg.sh"
+. "${abs_top_srcdir}/command/info_sub/variables.sh"
 
 set -- # reset $# so shunit2 doesn't get confused.