diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/AutomergeChangeAction.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/AutomergeChangeAction.java
index d27638e..c51cd1a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/AutomergeChangeAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/AutomergeChangeAction.java
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@
     } catch (ConfigInvalidException e) {
       throw new ResourceConflictException(
           "Automerger configuration file is invalid: " + e.getMessage());
+    } catch (InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
+      throw new ResourceConflictException(
+          "Topic or branch cannot have both braces and quotes: " + e.getMessage());      
     }
     return Response.none();
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/ConfigLoader.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/ConfigLoader.java
index 8691038..ad9530f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/ConfigLoader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/ConfigLoader.java
@@ -217,7 +217,8 @@
     String message = getConfig().getString("global", null, "missingDownstreamsMessage");
     if (message == null) {
       message =
-          "Missing downstream branches ${missingDownstreams}. Please recreate the automerges.";
+          "Missing downstream branches ${missingDownstreams}. Please recreate the automerges. "
+              + "If your topic contains quotes or braces, please remove them.";
     }
     return message;
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreator.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreator.java
index 7d52446..4a4aba0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreator.java
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@
           log.debug("Setting topic {} on {}", change.topic, changeNumber);
           gApi.changes().id(changeNumber).topic(change.topic);
         }
-      } catch (RestApiException e) {
-        log.error("RestApiException when editing downstream topics of {}", change.id, e);
+      } catch (RestApiException | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
+        log.error("Failed to edit downstream topics of {}", change.id, e);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
             updateVote(downstreamChange, label.getKey(), label.getValue().value.shortValue());
           }
         }
-      } catch (RestApiException e) {
+      } catch (RestApiException | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
         log.error("Exception when updating downstream votes of {}", change.id, e);
       }
     }
@@ -188,7 +188,10 @@
     ChangeInfo change = event.getChange();
     try {
       automergeChanges(change, event.getRevision());
-    } catch (RestApiException | IOException | ConfigInvalidException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException
+        | IOException
+        | ConfigInvalidException
+        | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
       log.error("Automerger plugin failed onChangeRestored for {}", change.id, e);
     }
   }
@@ -203,7 +206,10 @@
     ChangeInfo change = event.getChange();
     try {
       automergeChanges(change, event.getRevision());
-    } catch (RestApiException | IOException | ConfigInvalidException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException
+        | IOException
+        | ConfigInvalidException
+        | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
       log.error("Automerger plugin failed onDraftPublished for {}", change.id, e);
     }
   }
@@ -218,7 +224,10 @@
     ChangeInfo change = event.getChange();
     try {
       automergeChanges(change, event.getRevision());
-    } catch (RestApiException | IOException | ConfigInvalidException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException
+        | IOException
+        | ConfigInvalidException
+        | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
       log.error("Automerger plugin failed onRevisionCreated for {}", change.id, e);
     }
   }
@@ -229,9 +238,10 @@
    * @param mdsMergeInput Input containing the downstream branch map and source change ID.
    * @throws RestApiException Throws if we fail a REST API call.
    * @throws ConfigInvalidException Throws if we get a malformed configuration
+   * @throws InvalidQueryParameterException Throws if we attempt to add an invalid value to query.
    */
   public void createMergesAndHandleConflicts(MultipleDownstreamMergeInput mdsMergeInput)
-      throws RestApiException, ConfigInvalidException {
+      throws RestApiException, ConfigInvalidException, InvalidQueryParameterException {
     ReviewInput reviewInput = new ReviewInput();
     Map<String, Short> labels = new HashMap<String, Short>();
     try {
@@ -263,9 +273,11 @@
    * @throws RestApiException Throws if we fail a REST API call.
    * @throws FailedMergeException Throws if we get a merge conflict when merging downstream.
    * @throws ConfigInvalidException Throws if we get a malformed config file
+   * @throws InvalidQueryParameterException Throws if we attempt to add an invalid value to query.
    */
   public void createDownstreamMerges(MultipleDownstreamMergeInput mdsMergeInput)
-      throws RestApiException, FailedMergeException, ConfigInvalidException {
+      throws RestApiException, FailedMergeException, ConfigInvalidException,
+          InvalidQueryParameterException {
     // Map from branch to error message
     Map<String, String> failedMergeBranchMap = new TreeMap<String, String>();
 
@@ -337,15 +349,20 @@
    * @param downstreamBranch Branch to check for existing merge CLs.
    * @return List of change numbers that are downstream of the given branch.
    * @throws RestApiException Throws when we fail a REST API call.
+   * @throws InvalidQueryParameterException Throws when we try to add an invalid value to the query.
    */
   public List<Integer> getExistingMergesOnBranch(
-      String upstreamRevision, String topic, String downstreamBranch) throws RestApiException {
+      String upstreamRevision, String topic, String downstreamBranch)
+      throws RestApiException, InvalidQueryParameterException {
     List<Integer> downstreamChangeNumbers = new ArrayList<Integer>();
+    QueryBuilder queryBuilder = new QueryBuilder();
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("topic", topic);
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("branch", downstreamBranch);
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("status", "open");
     // get changes in same topic and check if their parent is upstreamRevision
-    String query = "topic:" + topic + " status:open branch:" + downstreamBranch;
     List<ChangeInfo> changes =
         gApi.changes()
-            .query(query)
+            .query(queryBuilder.get())
             .withOptions(ListChangesOption.ALL_REVISIONS, ListChangesOption.CURRENT_COMMIT)
             .get();
 
@@ -406,7 +423,7 @@
   }
 
   private void automergeChanges(ChangeInfo change, RevisionInfo revisionInfo)
-      throws RestApiException, IOException, ConfigInvalidException {
+      throws RestApiException, IOException, ConfigInvalidException, InvalidQueryParameterException {
     if (revisionInfo.draft != null && revisionInfo.draft) {
       log.debug("Patchset {} is draft change, ignoring.", revisionInfo.commit.commit);
       return;
@@ -462,7 +479,7 @@
           abandonChange(changeNumber);
         }
       }
-    } catch (RestApiException | IOException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException | IOException | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
       log.error("Failed to abandon downstreams of {}", change.id, e);
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/InvalidQueryParameterException.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/InvalidQueryParameterException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8915f96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/InvalidQueryParameterException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2017 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.automerger;
+
+/** Exception class for invalid query parameters. */
+class InvalidQueryParameterException extends Exception {
+
+  InvalidQueryParameterException(String message) {
+    super(message);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidator.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidator.java
index 664475d..60a4818 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidator.java
@@ -76,7 +76,10 @@
       if (!missingDownstreams.isEmpty()) {
         throw new MergeValidationException(getMissingDownstreamsMessage(missingDownstreams));
       }
-    } catch (RestApiException | IOException | ConfigInvalidException e) {
+    } catch (RestApiException
+        | IOException
+        | ConfigInvalidException
+        | InvalidQueryParameterException e) {
       log.error("Automerger plugin failed onPreMerge for {}", changeId, e);
       e.printStackTrace();
       throw new MergeValidationException("Error when validating merge for: " + changeId);
@@ -98,17 +101,20 @@
 
   @VisibleForTesting
   protected Set<String> getMissingDownstreamMerges(ChangeInfo upstreamChange)
-      throws RestApiException, IOException, ConfigInvalidException {
+      throws RestApiException, IOException, ConfigInvalidException, InvalidQueryParameterException {
     Set<String> missingDownstreamBranches = new HashSet<>();
 
     Set<String> downstreamBranches =
         config.getDownstreamBranches(upstreamChange.branch, upstreamChange.project);
     for (String downstreamBranch : downstreamBranches) {
       boolean dsExists = false;
-      String query = "topic:" + upstreamChange.topic + " status:open branch:" + downstreamBranch;
+      QueryBuilder queryBuilder = new QueryBuilder();
+      queryBuilder.addParameter("topic", upstreamChange.topic);
+      queryBuilder.addParameter("branch", downstreamBranch);
+      queryBuilder.addParameter("status", "open");
       List<ChangeInfo> changes =
           gApi.changes()
-              .query(query)
+              .query(queryBuilder.get())
               .withOptions(ListChangesOption.ALL_REVISIONS, ListChangesOption.CURRENT_COMMIT)
               .get();
       for (ChangeInfo change : changes) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/QueryBuilder.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/QueryBuilder.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fae69b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/QueryBuilder.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2016 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.automerger;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+/** Class to construct a query with escaped arguments. */
+public class QueryBuilder {
+  private Map<String, String> queryStringMap;
+
+  public QueryBuilder() {
+    this.queryStringMap = new HashMap<String, String>();
+  }
+  
+  public void addParameter(String key, String value) throws InvalidQueryParameterException {
+    if (value.contains("\"") && (value.contains("{") || value.contains("}"))) {
+      // Gerrit does not support search string escaping as of 5/16/2017
+      // see https://bugs.chromium.org/p/gerrit/issues/detail?id=5617
+      throw new InvalidQueryParameterException(
+          "Gerrit does not support both quotes and braces in a query.");
+    } else if (value.contains("\"")) {
+      queryStringMap.put(key, "{" + value + "}");
+    } else {
+      queryStringMap.put(key, "\"" + value + "\"");
+    }
+  }
+  
+  public String removeParameter(String key) {
+    return queryStringMap.remove(key);
+  }
+
+  public String get() {
+    List<String> queryStringList = new ArrayList<String>();
+    for (Map.Entry<String, String> entry : queryStringMap.entrySet()) {
+      queryStringList.add(entry.getKey() + ":" + entry.getValue());
+    }
+    return String.join(" ", queryStringList);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreatorIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreatorIT.java
index fe9f8ab..ab90ba8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreatorIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/DownstreamCreatorIT.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_two"));
-    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName);
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
     // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
     amendChange(result.getChangeId());
     result.assertOkStatus();
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
     String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_two"));
-    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName);
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
     // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
     amendChange(result.getChangeId(), "DO NOT MERGE subject", "filename", "content");
     result.assertOkStatus();
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
     String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_two"));
-    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName);
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
     // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
     amendChange(result.getChangeId(), "DO NOT MERGE ANYWHERE subject", "filename", "content");
     result.assertOkStatus();
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
     merge(ds1Result);
     // Reset to allow our merge conflict to come
     testRepo.reset(initial);
-    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName);
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
     // After we upload our config, we upload a new change to create the downstreams
     PushOneCommit.Result masterResult =
         pushFactory
@@ -240,6 +240,111 @@
     assertThat(getVote(dsTwoChange, "Code-Review").tag).isEqualTo("autogenerated:Automerger");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testTopicEditedListener() throws Exception {
+    Project.NameKey manifestNameKey = defaultSetup();
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_two"));
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("multiple words");
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("singlewordagain");
+    // Check that there are the correct number of changes in the topic
+    List<ChangeInfo> changesInTopic =
+        gApi.changes()
+            .query("topic:\"" + gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic() + "\"")
+            .get();
+    assertThat(changesInTopic).hasSize(3);
+    // +2 and submit
+    merge(result);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testTopicEditedListener_withQuotes() throws Exception {
+    Project.NameKey manifestNameKey = defaultSetup();
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_two"));
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("multiple words");
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("with\"quotes\"inside");
+    // Gerrit fails to submit changes in the same topic together if it contains quotes.
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("without quotes anymore");
+    // Check that there are the correct number of changes in the topic
+    List<ChangeInfo> changesInTopic =
+        gApi.changes()
+            .query("topic:{" + gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic() + "}")
+            .get();
+    assertThat(changesInTopic).hasSize(3);
+    // +2 and submit
+    merge(result);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testTopicEditedListener_withBraces() throws Exception {
+    Project.NameKey manifestNameKey = defaultSetup();
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_two"));
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", manifestNameKey.get(), projectName, "ds_one", "ds_two");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("multiple words");
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("with{braces}inside");
+    // Check that there are the correct number of changes in the topic
+    List<ChangeInfo> changesInTopic =
+        gApi.changes()
+            .query("topic:\"" + gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic() + "\"")
+            .get();
+    assertThat(changesInTopic).hasSize(3);
+    // +2 and submit
+    merge(result);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testTopicEditedListener_branchWithBracesAndQuotes() throws Exception {
+    Project.NameKey manifestNameKey = defaultSetup();
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().project().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "branch{}braces"));
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "branch\"quotes"));
+    pushConfig(
+        "automerger.config",
+        manifestNameKey.get(),
+        projectName,
+        "branch{}braces",
+        "branch\"quotes");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    // Check that there are the correct number of changes in the topic
+    List<ChangeInfo> changesInTopic =
+        gApi.changes()
+            .query("topic:\"" + gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic() + "\"")
+            .get();
+    assertThat(changesInTopic).hasSize(3);
+    // +2 and submit
+    merge(result);
+  }
+
   private Project.NameKey defaultSetup() throws Exception {
     Project.NameKey manifestNameKey = createProject("platform/manifest");
     setupTestRepo("default.xml", manifestNameKey, "master", "default.xml");
@@ -261,7 +366,8 @@
     }
   }
 
-  private void pushConfig(String resourceName, String manifestName, String project)
+  private void pushConfig(
+      String resourceName, String manifestName, String project, String branch1, String branch2)
       throws Exception {
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> allProjectRepo = cloneProject(allProjects, admin);
     GitUtil.fetch(allProjectRepo, RefNames.REFS_CONFIG + ":config");
@@ -274,8 +380,8 @@
       // Update manifest project path to the result of createProject(resourceName), since it is
       // scoped to the test method
       cfg.setString("global", null, "manifestProject", manifestName);
-      cfg.setString("automerger", "master:ds_one", "setProjects", project);
-      cfg.setString("automerger", "master:ds_two", "setProjects", project);
+      cfg.setString("automerger", "master:" + branch1, "setProjects", project);
+      cfg.setString("automerger", "master:" + branch2, "setProjects", project);
       PushOneCommit push =
           pushFactory.create(
               db, admin.getIdent(), allProjectRepo, "Subject", "automerger.config", cfg.toText());
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidatorIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidatorIT.java
index dcbc4e8..54ff231 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidatorIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/MergeValidatorIT.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   sysModule = "com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.automerger.AutomergerModule"
 )
 public class MergeValidatorIT extends LightweightPluginDaemonTest {
-  private void pushConfig(String resourceName, String project) throws Exception {
+  private void pushConfig(String resourceName, String project, String branch) throws Exception {
     TestRepository<InMemoryRepository> allProjectRepo = cloneProject(allProjects, admin);
     GitUtil.fetch(allProjectRepo, RefNames.REFS_CONFIG + ":config");
     allProjectRepo.reset("config");
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
       cfg.fromText(resourceString);
       // Update manifest project path to the result of createProject(resourceName), since it is
       // scoped to the test method
-      cfg.setString("automerger", "master:ds_one", "setProjects", project);
+      cfg.setString("automerger", "master:" + branch, "setProjects", project);
       PushOneCommit push =
           pushFactory.create(
               db, admin.getIdent(), allProjectRepo, "Subject", "automerger.config", cfg.toText());
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
     // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
     String projectName = result.getChange().change().getProject().get();
     createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
-    pushConfig("automerger.config", projectName);
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", projectName, "ds_one");
     // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
     amendChange(result.getChangeId());
     result.assertOkStatus();
@@ -69,10 +69,55 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void testNoMissingDownstreamMerges_branchWithQuotes() throws Exception {
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().change().getProject().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "branch\"quotes"));
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", projectName, "branch\"quotes");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    merge(result);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testNoMissingDownstreamMerges_branchWithBraces() throws Exception {
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().change().getProject().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "branch{}braces"));
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", projectName, "branch{}braces");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    merge(result);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testMultiWordTopic() throws Exception {
+    // Create initial change
+    PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
+    // Project name is scoped by test, so we need to get it from our initial change
+    String projectName = result.getChange().change().getProject().get();
+    createBranch(new Branch.NameKey(projectName, "ds_one"));
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", projectName, "ds_one");
+    // After we upload our config, we upload a new patchset to create the downstreams
+    amendChange(result.getChangeId());
+    result.assertOkStatus();
+    
+    gApi.changes().id(result.getChangeId()).topic("multiple words");
+    merge(result);
+    
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void testMissingDownstreamMerges() throws Exception {
     // Create initial change
     PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
-    pushConfig("automerger.config", result.getChange().project().get());
+    pushConfig("automerger.config", result.getChange().project().get(), "ds_one");
     result.assertOkStatus();
     int changeNumber = result.getChange().getId().id;
     // Assert we are missing downstreams
@@ -88,7 +133,7 @@
   public void testMissingDownstreamMerges_custom() throws Exception {
     // Create initial change
     PushOneCommit.Result result = createChange("subject", "filename", "content", "testtopic");
-    pushConfig("alternate.config", result.getChange().project().get());
+    pushConfig("alternate.config", result.getChange().project().get(), "ds_one");
     result.assertOkStatus();
     int changeNumber = result.getChange().getId().id;
     // Assert we are missing downstreams
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/QueryBuilderTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/QueryBuilderTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2179602
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/automerger/QueryBuilderTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2016 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.automerger;
+
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Rule;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.rules.ExpectedException;
+
+import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+
+public class QueryBuilderTest {
+  @Rule public ExpectedException exception = ExpectedException.none();
+  private QueryBuilder queryBuilder;
+
+  @Before
+  public void setUp() throws Exception {
+    queryBuilder = new QueryBuilder();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void basicParseTest() throws Exception {
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("status", "open");
+    assertThat(queryBuilder.get()).isEqualTo("status:\"open\"");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void removeParameterTest() throws Exception {
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("status", "open");
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("branch", "master");
+    queryBuilder.removeParameter("status");
+    assertThat(queryBuilder.get()).isEqualTo("branch:\"master\"");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void escapeQuoteTest() throws Exception {
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("topic", "topic\"with\"quotes");
+    assertThat(queryBuilder.get()).isEqualTo("topic:{topic\"with\"quotes}");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void escapeBraceTest() throws Exception {
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("topic", "topic{with}braces");
+    assertThat(queryBuilder.get()).isEqualTo("topic:\"topic{with}braces\"");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void errorOnQuotesAndBracesTest() throws Exception {
+    exception.expect(InvalidQueryParameterException.class);
+    exception.expectMessage("Gerrit does not support both quotes and braces in a query.");
+    queryBuilder.addParameter("topic", "topic{\"with\"}both");
+  }
+}