diff --git a/VT100Screen.m b/VT100Screen.m
index 0f1052bea7..693a06a545 100644
--- a/VT100Screen.m
+++ b/VT100Screen.m
@@ -2349,10 +2349,33 @@ - (void)terminalPopCurrentTitleForWindow:(BOOL)isWindow {
 
 - (BOOL)terminalPostGrowlNotification:(NSString *)message {
     if (postGrowlNotifications_) {
-        NSString *description = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Session %@ #%d: %@",
+        // If there's any newlines in the message string, treat the first line as
+        // the alert title and the remainder as the actual message. Ignore cases
+        // where there's really only a single line that begins and/or ends with newlines.
+        // Various things between the client and here can and will expand \n to \r\n, so
+        // use -getLineStart:end:contentsEnd:forRange: to reliably do what the user would
+        // expect here and not leave unintended dangling control characters for growl.
+        NSString *description = message;
+        NSString *title = nil;
+        NSUInteger endIndex, contentsIndex;
+        [message getLineStart:NULL
+                 end:&endIndex
+                 contentsEnd:&contentsIndex
+                 forRange:NSMakeRange(0, 0)];
+        if (endIndex < [message length]-1 &&
+            contentsIndex > 0) {
+            title = [message substringToIndex:contentsIndex];
+            description = [message substringFromIndex:endIndex];
+        } else {
+            title = NSLocalizedStringFromTableInBundle(@"Alert",
+                                                       @"iTerm",
+                                                       [NSBundle bundleForClass:[self class]],
+                                                       @"Growl Alerts");
+        }
+        description = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Session %@ #%d: %@",
                                     [delegate_ screenName],
                                     [delegate_ screenNumber],
-                                    message];
+                                    description];
         BOOL sent = [[iTermGrowlDelegate sharedInstance]
                         growlNotify:@"Alert"
                         withDescription:description
diff --git a/tests/growl.sh b/tests/growl.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..325fb2b34e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/growl.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# This file tests the growl OSC escapes handling. Newlines embedded in the
+# argument indicate the first component should be used as a custom alert
+# title, unless the title or message would be empty, in which case the
+# argument is used as the message text as before. Other newlines are left
+# as-is in the message text. 
+
+# Alert
+# Session Shell #1: Line0
+echo -en "\033]9;Line0\007"
+
+# Alert
+# Session Shell #1: Line0
+echo -en "\033]9;Line0\n\007"
+
+# Alert
+# Session Shell #1:
+# Line1
+echo -en "\033]9;\nLine1\007"
+
+# Alert
+# Session Shell #1:
+# Line1
+# Line2
+echo -en "\033]9;\nLine1\nLine2\007"
+
+# Custom Title
+# Session Shell #1: Line0
+echo -en "\033]9;Custom Title\nLine0\007"
+
+# Custom Title
+# Session Shell #1: Line0
+# Line1
+echo -en "\033]9;Custom Title\nLine0\nLine1\007"
+
+# Custom Title
+# Session Shell #1:
+# Line1
+# Line2
+echo -en "\033]9;Custom Title\n\nLine1\nLine2\007"