Index: t3lib/class.t3lib_div.php
===================================================================
--- t3lib/class.t3lib_div.php	(revision 10435)
+++ t3lib/class.t3lib_div.php	(working copy)
@@ -5953,10 +5953,23 @@
 			// Compile the path & command
 		if($im_version==='gm')	{
 			$switchCompositeParameters=true;
-			$path = escapeshellarg($path . 'gm' . $isExt) . ' ' . $command;
+			$originalPath = $path . 'gm' . $isExt;
+			$path = escapeshellarg($originalPath);
+				// if escapeshellarg didn't change anything or if there is no whitespace in the original string
+				// keep the original for (partial) safe_mode compatibility
+			if (trim($path, '"\'') == $originalPath && !preg_match('/[[:space:]]/', $originalPath)) {
+				$path = $originalPath;
+			}
+			$path .= ' ' . $command;
 		} else	{
 			if($im_version==='im6')	{ $switchCompositeParameters=true; }
-			$path = escapeshellarg($path . (($command == 'composite') ? $combineScript : $command) . $isExt);
+			$originalPath = $path . (($command == 'composite') ? $combineScript : $command) . $isExt;
+			$path = escapeshellarg($originalPath);
+				// if escapeshellarg didn't change anything or if there is no whitespace in the original string
+				// keep the original for (partial) safe_mode compatibility
+			if (trim($path, '"\'') == $originalPath && !preg_match('/[[:space:]]/', $originalPath)) {
+				$path = $originalPath;
+			}
 		}
 
 			// strip profile information for thumbnails and reduce their size
Index: t3lib/class.t3lib_stdgraphic.php
===================================================================
--- t3lib/class.t3lib_stdgraphic.php	(revision 10435)
+++ t3lib/class.t3lib_stdgraphic.php	(working copy)
@@ -2728,7 +2728,13 @@
 	 * @return string $inputName escaped as needed
 	 */
 	protected function wrapFileName($inputName) {
-		return escapeshellarg($inputName);
+		$escapedInputName = escapeshellarg($inputName);
+			// if escapeshellarg didn't change anything or if there is no whitespace in the original string
+			// keep the original for (partial) safe_mode compatibility
+		if (trim($escapedInputName, '"\'') == $inputName && !preg_match('/[[:space:]]/', $inputName)) {
+			$escapedInputName = $inputName;
+		}
+		return $escapedInputName;
 	}
 
 
Index: t3lib/thumbs.php
===================================================================
--- t3lib/thumbs.php	(revision 10435)
+++ t3lib/thumbs.php	(working copy)
@@ -397,7 +397,13 @@
 	 * @return string $inputName escaped as needed
 	 */
 	protected function wrapFileName($inputName) {
-		return escapeshellarg($inputName);
+		$escapedInputName = escapeshellarg($inputName);
+			// if escapeshellarg didn't change anything or if there is no whitespace in the original string
+			// keep the original for (partial) safe_mode compatibility
+		if (trim($escapedInputName, '"\'') == $inputName && !preg_match('/[[:space:]]/', $inputName)) {
+			$escapedInputName = $inputName;
+		}
+		return $escapedInputName;
 	}
 }