diff -up ksh-20120801/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/emacs.c.tabfix ksh-20120801/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/emacs.c
--- ksh-20120801/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/emacs.c.tabfix	2013-01-04 16:50:21.124706144 +0100
+++ ksh-20120801/src/cmd/ksh93/edit/emacs.c	2013-01-04 16:50:21.150706365 +0100
@@ -1011,9 +1011,10 @@ static int escape(register Emacs_t* ep,r
 					ep->ed->e_tabcount=0;
 				else
 				{
+					int oldi = i;
 					i=ed_getchar(ep->ed,0);
 					ed_ungetchar(ep->ed,i);
-					if(isdigit(i))
+					if(oldi=='=' && isdigit(i))
 						ed_ungetchar(ep->ed,ESC);
 				}
 			}