diff --git a/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js b/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js
index a8289f65..29b01c61 100644
--- a/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js
+++ b/media/js/jquery.dataTables.js
@@ -2058,6 +2058,9 @@
 				}
 			}
 			
+			/* If there is an 'empty' indicator row, remove it */
+			$('tbody>tr>td.'+oSettings.oClasses.sRowEmpty, oSettings.nTable).parent().remove();
+			
 			/* When scrolling we had to break the table up - restore it */
 			if ( oSettings.nTable != oSettings.nTHead.parentNode )
 			{
@@ -5733,7 +5736,7 @@
 			sValue += '"iStart":'+ oSettings._iDisplayStart+',';
 			sValue += '"iEnd":'+ oSettings._iDisplayEnd+',';
 			sValue += '"iLength":'+ oSettings._iDisplayLength+',';
-			sValue += '"sFilter":"'+ oSettings.oPreviousSearch.sSearch.replace('"','\\"')+'",';
+			sValue += '"sFilter":"'+ escape(oSettings.oPreviousSearch.sSearch)+'",';
 			sValue += '"sFilterEsc":'+ !oSettings.oPreviousSearch.bRegex+',';
 			
 			sValue += '"aaSorting":[';
@@ -5747,7 +5750,7 @@
 			sValue += '"aaSearchCols":[';
 			for ( i=0 ; i<oSettings.aoPreSearchCols.length ; i++ )
 			{
-				sValue += '["'+oSettings.aoPreSearchCols[i].sSearch.replace('"','\\"')+
+				sValue += '["'+escape(oSettings.aoPreSearchCols[i].sSearch)+
 					'",'+!oSettings.aoPreSearchCols[i].bRegex+'],';
 			}
 			sValue = sValue.substring(0, sValue.length-1);
@@ -5802,7 +5805,7 @@
 				oSettings.iInitDisplayStart = oData.iStart;
 				oSettings._iDisplayEnd = oData.iEnd;
 				oSettings._iDisplayLength = oData.iLength;
-				oSettings.oPreviousSearch.sSearch = oData.sFilter;
+				oSettings.oPreviousSearch.sSearch = unescape(oData.sFilter);
 				oSettings.aaSorting = oData.aaSorting.slice();
 				oSettings.saved_aaSorting = oData.aaSorting.slice();
 				
@@ -5822,7 +5825,7 @@
 					for ( var i=0 ; i<oData.aaSearchCols.length ; i++ )
 					{
 						oSettings.aoPreSearchCols[i] = {
-							"sSearch": oData.aaSearchCols[i][0],
+							"sSearch": unescape(oData.aaSearchCols[i][0]),
 							"bRegex": !oData.aaSearchCols[i][1]
 						};
 					}
diff --git a/media/unit_testing/tests_onhold/1_dom/2608.js b/media/unit_testing/tests_onhold/1_dom/2608.js
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..a8a622db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/media/unit_testing/tests_onhold/1_dom/2608.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+// DATA_TEMPLATE: dom_data
+oTest.fnStart( "2608 - State saving escaping filters" );
+
+$(document).ready( function () {
+	$('#example').dataTable( {
+		"bStateSave": true
+	} );
+	
+	oTest.fnTest( 
+		"Set the filter",
+		function () {
+			$('#example_filter input').val( '\\s*CVM\\s*$' );
+			$('#example_filter input').keyup();
+		},
+		function () { return $('#example_filter input').val() == '\\s*CVM\\s*$'; }
+	);
+	
+	oTest.fnTest( 
+		"Destroy the table and remake it - checking the filter was saved",
+		function () {
+			$('#example').dataTable( {
+				"bStateSave": true,
+				"bDestroy": true
+			} );
+		},
+		function () { return $('#example_filter input').val() == '\\s*CVM\\s*$'; }
+	);
+	
+	oTest.fnTest( 
+		"Do it again without state saving and make sure filter is empty",
+		function () {
+			$('#example').dataTable( {
+				"bDestroy": true
+			} );
+		},
+		function () { return $('#example_filter input').val() == ''; }
+	);
+	
+	oTest.fnComplete();
+} );
\ No newline at end of file