diff --git a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
index 06ece4b..6663868 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/cubrid/cubrid_driver.php
@@ -295,42 +295,21 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
 		if (function_exists('cubrid_real_escape_string') &&
 			(is_resource($this->conn_id)
 				OR (get_resource_type($this->conn_id) === 'Unknown' && preg_match('/Resource id #/', strval($this->conn_id)))))
 		{
-			$str = cubrid_real_escape_string($str, $this->conn_id);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			$str = addslashes($str);
+			return cubrid_real_escape_string($str, $this->conn_id);
 		}
 
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array('%', '_'), array('\\%', '\\_'), $str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return addslashes($str);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php
index 875f148..7450110 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/ibase/ibase_driver.php
@@ -192,38 +192,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
-	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
-	 * @return	string
-	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
-	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Affected Rows
 	 *
 	 * @return	int
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php
index 286135f..f60071e 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mssql/mssql_driver.php
@@ -229,43 +229,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
-	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
-	 * @return	string
-	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
-	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		// Escape single quotes
-		$str = str_replace("'", "''", remove_invisible_characters($str));
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(
-				array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-				array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-				$str
-			);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Affected Rows
 	 *
 	 * @return	int
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
index c6b46f0..492b078 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysql/mysql_driver.php
@@ -312,35 +312,16 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = is_resource($this->conn_id) ? mysql_real_escape_string($str, $this->conn_id) : addslashes($str);
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return is_resource($this->conn_id)
+			? mysql_real_escape_string($str, $this->conn_id)
+			: addslashes($str);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
index be9176e..b64a7a2 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/mysqli/mysqli_driver.php
@@ -289,35 +289,16 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = is_object($this->conn_id) ? $this->conn_id->real_escape_string($str) : addslashes($str);
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return is_object($this->conn_id)
+			? $this->conn_id->real_escape_string($str)
+			: addslashes($str);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php
index 6a850b4..0ec8b53 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/oci8/oci8_driver.php
@@ -461,40 +461,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
-	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
-	 * @return	string
-	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
-	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = str_replace("'", "''", remove_invisible_characters($str));
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Affected Rows
 	 *
 	 * @return	int
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php
index 8f247ed..45e91cb 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/odbc/odbc_driver.php
@@ -203,35 +203,14 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = remove_invisible_characters($str);
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return remove_invisible_characters($str);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
index 37090cb..34adf0f 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/pdo/pdo_driver.php
@@ -257,42 +257,20 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
 		// Escape the string
 		$str = $this->conn_id->quote($str);
 
 		// If there are duplicated quotes, trim them away
-		if ($str[0] === "'")
-		{
-			$str = substr($str, 1, -1);
-		}
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return ($str[0] === "'")
+			? substr($str, 1, -1)
+			: $str;
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
index 643d6c8..d35e351 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/postgre/postgre_driver.php
@@ -311,35 +311,14 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = pg_escape_string($str);
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return pg_escape_string($str);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php
index da7d90b..6a3397f 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/sqlite/sqlite_driver.php
@@ -200,35 +200,14 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = sqlite_escape_string($str);
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return sqlite_escape_string($str);
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php
index 5291911..4d131c3 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/sqlite3/sqlite3_driver.php
@@ -189,35 +189,14 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
+	 * Platform-dependant string escape
 	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
+	 * @param	string
 	 * @return	string
 	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
+	protected function _escape_str($str)
 	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		$str = $this->conn_id->escapeString(remove_invisible_characters($str));
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-						array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-						$str);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
+		return $this->conn_id->escapeString(remove_invisible_characters($str));
 	}
 
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php b/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php
index a6f2d55..09e6b8c 100644
--- a/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php
+++ b/system/database/drivers/sqlsrv/sqlsrv_driver.php
@@ -222,43 +222,6 @@
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 	/**
-	 * Escape String
-	 *
-	 * @param	string	$str
-	 * @param	bool	$like	Whether or not the string will be used in a LIKE condition
-	 * @return	string
-	 */
-	public function escape_str($str, $like = FALSE)
-	{
-		if (is_array($str))
-		{
-			foreach ($str as $key => $val)
-			{
-				$str[$key] = $this->escape_str($val, $like);
-			}
-
-			return $str;
-		}
-
-		// Escape single quotes
-		$str = str_replace("'", "''", remove_invisible_characters($str));
-
-		// escape LIKE condition wildcards
-		if ($like === TRUE)
-		{
-			return str_replace(
-				array($this->_like_escape_chr, '%', '_'),
-				array($this->_like_escape_chr.$this->_like_escape_chr, $this->_like_escape_chr.'%', $this->_like_escape_chr.'_'),
-				$str
-			);
-		}
-
-		return $str;
-	}
-
-	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-	/**
 	 * Affected Rows
 	 *
 	 * @return	int