diff --git a/src/core/kconfiggroup.cpp b/src/core/kconfiggroup.cpp
--- a/src/core/kconfiggroup.cpp
+++ b/src/core/kconfiggroup.cpp
@@ -132,15 +132,20 @@
         QList<QByteArray>::ConstIterator it = list.constBegin();
         const QList<QByteArray>::ConstIterator end = list.constEnd();
 
-        value = QByteArray(*it).replace('\\', QByteArrayLiteral("\\\\")).replace(',', QByteArrayLiteral("\\,"));
+        auto escape = [] (const QByteArray &str) {
+            return QByteArray(str).replace('\\', QByteArrayLiteral("\\\\"))
+                                  .replace(';', QByteArrayLiteral("\\;"))
+                                  .replace(',', QByteArrayLiteral("\\,"));
+        };
+
+        value = escape(*it);
 
         while (++it != end) {
             // In the loop, so it is not done when there is only one element.
             // Doing it repeatedly is a pretty cheap operation.
             value.reserve(4096);
 
-            value += ',';
-            value += QByteArray(*it).replace('\\', QByteArrayLiteral("\\\\")).replace(',', QByteArrayLiteral("\\,"));
+            value += ',' + escape(*it);
         }
 
         // To be able to distinguish an empty list from a list with one empty element.
@@ -170,7 +175,7 @@
             quoted = false;
         } else if (data[p].unicode() == '\\') {
             quoted = true;
-        } else if (data[p].unicode() == ',') {
+        } else if (data[p].unicode() == ',' || data[p].unicode() == ';') {
             val.squeeze(); // release any unused memory
             value.append(val);
             val.clear();