diff --git a/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter.go b/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter.go
index df970847..d59dff27 100644
--- a/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter.go
+++ b/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter.go
@@ -1086,8 +1086,9 @@ func getDataSource() string {
 			pass = os.Getenv("DATA_SOURCE_PASS")
 		}
 
+		ui := url.UserPassword(user, pass).String()
 		uri := os.Getenv("DATA_SOURCE_URI")
-		dsn = "postgresql://" + user + ":" + pass + "@" + uri
+		dsn = "postgresql://" + ui + "@" + uri
 	}
 
 	return dsn
diff --git a/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter_test.go b/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter_test.go
index 6d6aecbf..c1907a1a 100644
--- a/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter_test.go
+++ b/cmd/postgres_exporter/postgres_exporter_test.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (s *FunctionalSuite) TestEnvironmentSettingWithSecretsFiles(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
 	defer UnsetEnvironment(c, "DATA_SOURCE_URI")
 
-	var expected = "postgresql://custom_username:custom_password@localhost:5432/?sslmode=disable"
+	var expected = "postgresql://custom_username$&+,%2F%3A;=%3F%40:custom_password$&+,%2F%3A;=%3F%40@localhost:5432/?sslmode=disable"
 
 	dsn := getDataSource()
 	if dsn != expected {
diff --git a/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/username_file b/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/username_file
index 895ad19f..0650cfd3 100644
--- a/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/username_file
+++ b/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/username_file
@@ -1 +1 @@
-custom_username
+custom_username$&+,/:;=?@
diff --git a/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/userpass_file b/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/userpass_file
index 4251eaea..a9caa8de 100644
--- a/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/userpass_file
+++ b/cmd/postgres_exporter/tests/userpass_file
@@ -1 +1 @@
-custom_password
+custom_password$&+,/:;=?@