diff --git a/lisp/files.el b/lisp/files.el
index d98d09bb1e..2478a22046 100644
--- a/lisp/files.el
+++ b/lisp/files.el
@@ -7056,7 +7056,8 @@ file-name-non-special
 		   '(nil 0))))
 	 method
 	 ;; Copy ARGUMENTS so we can replace elements in it.
-	 (arguments (copy-sequence arguments)))
+	 (arguments (copy-sequence arguments))
+         file-name-handler-alist)
     (if (symbolp (car file-arg-indices))
 	(setq method (pop file-arg-indices)))
     ;; Strip off the /: from the file names that have it.
@@ -7064,27 +7065,20 @@ file-name-non-special
       (while (consp file-arg-indices)
 	(let ((pair (nthcdr (car file-arg-indices) arguments)))
 	  (and (car pair)
-	       (string-match "\\`/:" (car pair))
-	       (setcar pair
-		       (if (= (length (car pair)) 2)
-			   "/"
-			 (substring (car pair) 2)))))
+	       (setcar pair (file-name-unquote (car pair)))))
 	(setq file-arg-indices (cdr file-arg-indices))))
     (pcase method
       (`identity (car arguments))
       (`add (file-name-quote (apply operation arguments)))
       (`buffer-file-name
-       (let ((buffer-file-name
-              (if (string-match "\\`/:" buffer-file-name)
-                  (substring buffer-file-name (match-end 0))
-                buffer-file-name)))
+       (let ((buffer-file-name (file-name-unquote buffer-file-name)))
          (apply operation arguments)))
       (`insert-file-contents
        (let ((visit (nth 1 arguments)))
          (unwind-protect
              (apply operation arguments)
            (when (and visit buffer-file-name)
-             (setq buffer-file-name (concat "/:" buffer-file-name))))))
+             (setq buffer-file-name (file-name-quote buffer-file-name))))))
       (`unquote-then-quote
        ;; We can't use `cl-letf' with `(buffer-local-value)' here
        ;; because it wouldn't work during bootstrapping.
@@ -7093,7 +7087,7 @@ file-name-non-special
          ;; `verify-visited-file-modtime' action, which takes a buffer
          ;; as only optional argument.
          (with-current-buffer (or (car arguments) buffer)
-           (let ((buffer-file-name (substring buffer-file-name 2)))
+           (let ((buffer-file-name (file-name-unquote buffer-file-name)))
              ;; Make sure to hide the temporary buffer change from the
              ;; underlying operation.
              (with-current-buffer buffer