diff --git a/src/zabapgit_html_action_utils.prog.abap b/src/zabapgit_html_action_utils.prog.abap
index 6b29c2f35..bf81621fc 100644
--- a/src/zabapgit_html_action_utils.prog.abap
+++ b/src/zabapgit_html_action_utils.prog.abap
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ CLASS lcl_html_action_utils DEFINITION FINAL.
                 ev_seed    TYPE string
       RAISING   lcx_exception.
 
+  PRIVATE SECTION.
+    CLASS-METHODS unescape
+      IMPORTING iv_string        TYPE string
+      RETURNING VALUE(rv_string) TYPE string.
+
 ENDCLASS.       "lcl_html_action_utils DEFINITION
 
 *----------------------------------------------------------------------*
@@ -124,11 +129,11 @@ CLASS lcl_html_action_utils IMPLEMENTATION.
 
       field-name = substring_before( val = <substring>
                                      sub = '=' ).
-      field-name = cl_http_utility=>unescape_url( field-name ).
+      field-name = unescape( field-name ).
 
       field-value = substring_after( val = <substring>
                                      sub = '=' ).
-      field-value = cl_http_utility=>unescape_url( field-value ).
+      field-value = unescape( field-value ).
 
       INSERT field INTO TABLE rt_fields.
 
@@ -136,6 +141,15 @@ CLASS lcl_html_action_utils IMPLEMENTATION.
 
   ENDMETHOD.
 
+  METHOD unescape.
+* do not use cl_http_utility as it does strange things with the encoding
+    rv_string = iv_string.
+
+* todo, more to be added here
+    REPLACE ALL OCCURRENCES OF '%3F' IN rv_string WITH '?'.
+
+  ENDMETHOD.
+
   METHOD parse_fields_upper_case_name.
 
     rt_fields = parse_fields( iv_string ).
diff --git a/src/zabapgit_unit_test.prog.abap b/src/zabapgit_unit_test.prog.abap
index 37b38afe9..d187f05b5 100644
--- a/src/zabapgit_unit_test.prog.abap
+++ b/src/zabapgit_unit_test.prog.abap
@@ -1779,6 +1779,7 @@ CLASS ltcl_html_action_utils DEFINITION FOR TESTING RISK LEVEL HARMLESS
     METHODS get_field FOR TESTING.
     METHODS parse_fields_simple_case FOR TESTING.
     METHODS parse_fields_advanced_case FOR TESTING.
+    METHODS parse_fields_unescape FOR TESTING.
     METHODS parse_fields_german_umlauts FOR TESTING.
 
   PRIVATE SECTION.
@@ -1917,6 +1918,19 @@ CLASS ltcl_html_action_utils IMPLEMENTATION.
 
   ENDMETHOD.
 
+  METHOD parse_fields_unescape.
+* file status = '?', used in staging page
+
+    _given_string_is( '/SRC/ZFOOBAR.PROG.ABAP=%3F' ).
+
+    _when_fields_are_parsed( ).
+
+    _then_fields_should_be( index = 1
+                            name  = '/SRC/ZFOOBAR.PROG.ABAP'
+                            value = '?' ).
+
+  ENDMETHOD.
+
   METHOD parse_fields_german_umlauts.
 
     DATA: ae       TYPE string,