diff --git a/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs b/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs
index 232250dcf..f4e347147 100644
--- a/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs
+++ b/src/uu/ls/src/ls.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ use uucore::libc::{dev_t, major, minor};
 #[cfg(unix)]
 use uucore::libc::{S_IXGRP, S_IXOTH, S_IXUSR};
 use uucore::line_ending::LineEnding;
-use uucore::quoting_style::{escape_name, QuotingStyle};
+use uucore::quoting_style::{escape_dir_name, escape_name, QuotingStyle};
 use uucore::{
     display::Quotable,
     error::{set_exit_code, UError, UResult},
@@ -2036,14 +2036,27 @@ impl PathData {
     }
 }
 
+/// Show the directory name in the case where several arguments are given to ls
+/// or the recursive flag is passed.
+///
+/// ```no-exec
+/// $ ls -R
+/// .:                  <- This is printed by this function
+/// dir1 file1 file2
+///
+/// dir1:               <- This as well
+/// file11
+/// ```
 fn show_dir_name(path_data: &PathData, out: &mut BufWriter<Stdout>, config: &Config) {
-    if config.hyperlink && !config.dired {
-        let name = escape_name(path_data.p_buf.as_os_str(), &config.quoting_style);
-        let hyperlink = create_hyperlink(&name, path_data);
-        write!(out, "{hyperlink}:").unwrap();
+    let escaped_name = escape_dir_name(path_data.p_buf.as_os_str(), &config.quoting_style);
+
+    let name = if config.hyperlink && !config.dired {
+        create_hyperlink(&escaped_name, path_data)
     } else {
-        write!(out, "{}:", path_data.p_buf.display()).unwrap();
-    }
+        escaped_name
+    };
+
+    write!(out, "{name}:").unwrap();
 }
 
 #[allow(clippy::cognitive_complexity)]
@@ -2327,9 +2340,10 @@ fn enter_directory(
         for e in entries
             .iter()
             .skip(if config.files == Files::All { 2 } else { 0 })
-            .filter(|p| p.ft.get().is_some())
-            .filter(|p| p.ft.get().unwrap().is_some())
-            .filter(|p| p.ft.get().unwrap().unwrap().is_dir())
+            .filter(|p| {
+                p.ft.get()
+                    .is_some_and(|o_ft| o_ft.is_some_and(|ft| ft.is_dir()))
+            })
         {
             match fs::read_dir(&e.p_buf) {
                 Err(err) => {
diff --git a/src/uucore/src/lib/features/quoting_style.rs b/src/uucore/src/lib/features/quoting_style.rs
index cb98050a8..b76ad75ce 100644
--- a/src/uucore/src/lib/features/quoting_style.rs
+++ b/src/uucore/src/lib/features/quoting_style.rs
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ impl EscapedChar {
         }
     }
 
-    fn new_c(c: char, quotes: Quotes) -> Self {
+    fn new_c(c: char, quotes: Quotes, dirname: bool) -> Self {
         use EscapeState::*;
         let init_state = match c {
             '\x07' => Backslash('a'),
@@ -142,10 +142,11 @@ impl EscapedChar {
                 Quotes::Double => Backslash('"'),
                 _ => Char('"'),
             },
-            ' ' => match quotes {
+            ' ' if !dirname => match quotes {
                 Quotes::None => Backslash(' '),
                 _ => Char(' '),
             },
+            ':' if dirname => Backslash(':'),
             _ if c.is_ascii_control() => Octal(EscapeOctal::from(c)),
             _ => Char(c),
         };
@@ -285,7 +286,10 @@ fn shell_with_escape(name: &str, quotes: Quotes) -> (String, bool) {
 }
 
 /// Escape a name according to the given quoting style.
-pub fn escape_name(name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle) -> String {
+///
+/// This inner function provides an additional flag `dirname` which
+/// is meant for ls' directory name display.
+fn escape_name_inner(name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle, dirname: bool) -> String {
     match style {
         QuotingStyle::Literal { show_control } => {
             if *show_control {
@@ -301,7 +305,7 @@ pub fn escape_name(name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle) -> String {
             let escaped_str: String = name
                 .to_string_lossy()
                 .chars()
-                .flat_map(|c| EscapedChar::new_c(c, *quotes))
+                .flat_map(|c| EscapedChar::new_c(c, *quotes, dirname))
                 .collect();
 
             match quotes {
@@ -316,7 +320,10 @@ pub fn escape_name(name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle) -> String {
             show_control,
         } => {
             let name = name.to_string_lossy();
-            let (quotes, must_quote) = if name.contains(&['"', '`', '$', '\\'][..]) {
+
+            // Take ':' in account only if we are quoting a dirname
+            let start_index = if dirname { 0 } else { 1 };
+            let (quotes, must_quote) = if name.contains(&[':', '"', '`', '$', '\\'][start_index..]) {
                 (Quotes::Single, true)
             } else if name.contains('\'') {
                 (Quotes::Double, true)
@@ -341,6 +348,18 @@ pub fn escape_name(name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle) -> String {
     }
 }
 
+/// Escape a filename with respect to the given style.
+pub fn escape_name(name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle) -> String {
+    escape_name_inner(name, style, false)
+}
+
+/// Escape a directory name with respect to the given style.
+/// This is mainly meant to be used for ls' directory name printing and is not
+/// likely to be used elsewhere.
+pub fn escape_dir_name(dir_name: &OsStr, style: &QuotingStyle) -> String {
+    escape_name_inner(dir_name, style, true)
+}
+
 impl fmt::Display for QuotingStyle {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match *self {