diff --git a/stream/stream.c b/stream/stream.c
index a4d9238d46..4160e7267e 100644
--- a/stream/stream.c
+++ b/stream/stream.c
@@ -116,6 +116,37 @@ static const stream_info_t *const auto_open_streams[] = {
 
 static int stream_seek_unbuffered(stream_t *s, int64_t newpos);
 
+static int from_hex(unsigned char c)
+{
+    if (c >= 'a' && c <= 'f')
+        return c - 'a' + 10;
+    if (c >= 'A' && c <= 'F')
+        return c - 'A' + 10;
+    if (c >= '0' && c <= '9')
+        return c - '0';
+    return -1;
+}
+
+// Replace escape sequences in an URL (or a part of an URL)
+void mp_url_unescape_inplace(char *buf)
+{
+    int len = strlen(buf);
+    int o = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+        unsigned char c = buf[i];
+        if (c == '%' && i + 2 < len) { //must have 2 more chars
+            int c1 = from_hex(buf[i + 1]);
+            int c2 = from_hex(buf[i + 2]);
+            if (c1 >= 0 && c2 >= 0) {
+                c = c1 * 16 + c2;
+                i = i + 2; //only skip next 2 chars if valid esc
+            }
+        }
+        buf[o++] = c;
+    }
+    buf[o++] = '\0';
+}
+
 static const char *find_url_opt(struct stream *s, const char *opt)
 {
     for (int n = 0; s->info->url_options && s->info->url_options[n][0]; n++) {
diff --git a/stream/stream.h b/stream/stream.h
index 9800efbafd..e928a258b6 100644
--- a/stream/stream.h
+++ b/stream/stream.h
@@ -260,4 +260,6 @@ typedef struct {
     int channels;
 } stream_language_t;
 
+void mp_url_unescape_inplace(char *buf);
+
 #endif /* MPLAYER_STREAM_H */
diff --git a/stream/stream_dvd.c b/stream/stream_dvd.c
index 624ea4c672..c9473c4b67 100644
--- a/stream/stream_dvd.c
+++ b/stream/stream_dvd.c
@@ -1050,6 +1050,10 @@ static int ifo_stream_open (stream_t *stream, int mode)
     stream->priv = priv;
     *priv = stream_priv_dflts;
 
+    // "file://" prefix -> decode URL-style escapes
+    if (strlen(stream->url) > strlen(stream->path))
+        mp_url_unescape_inplace(stream->path);
+
     int len = strlen(stream->path);
     if (len < 4 || strcasecmp (stream->path + len - 4, ".ifo"))
         return STREAM_UNSUPPORTED;
diff --git a/stream/stream_file.c b/stream/stream_file.c
index dc85314f71..1e9f372ba4 100644
--- a/stream/stream_file.c
+++ b/stream/stream_file.c
@@ -125,6 +125,10 @@ static int open_f(stream_t *stream, int mode)
     return STREAM_UNSUPPORTED;
   }
 
+  // "file://" prefix -> decode URL-style escapes
+  if (strlen(stream->url) > strlen(stream->path))
+    mp_url_unescape_inplace(stream->path);
+
 #if HAVE_DOS_PATHS
   // extract '/' from '/x:/path'
   if( filename[ 0 ] == '/' && filename[ 1 ] && filename[ 2 ] == ':' )