diff --git a/lib/stripe/util.rb b/lib/stripe/util.rb
index f2b5da7a..c61dcadb 100644
--- a/lib/stripe/util.rb
+++ b/lib/stripe/util.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require "cgi"
+
 module Stripe
   module Util
     def self.objects_to_ids(h)
@@ -98,17 +100,24 @@ module Stripe
     # `&`).
     def self.encode_parameters(params)
       Util.flatten_params(params).
-        map { |k,v| "#{k}=#{Util.url_encode(v)}" }.join('&')
+        map { |k,v| "#{url_encode(k)}=#{url_encode(v)}" }.join('&')
     end
 
+    # Encodes a string in a way that makes it suitable for use in a set of
+    # query parameters in a URI or in a set of form parameters in a request
+    # body.
     def self.url_encode(key)
-      URI.escape(key.to_s, Regexp.new("[^#{URI::PATTERN::UNRESERVED}]"))
+      CGI.escape(key.to_s).
+        # Don't use strict form encoding by changing the square bracket control
+        # characters back to their literals. This is fine by the server, and
+        # makes these parameter strings easier to read.
+        gsub('%5B', '[').gsub('%5D', ']')
     end
 
     def self.flatten_params(params, parent_key=nil)
       result = []
       params.each do |key, value|
-        calculated_key = parent_key ? "#{parent_key}[#{url_encode(key)}]" : url_encode(key)
+        calculated_key = parent_key ? "#{parent_key}[#{key}]" : "#{key}"
         if value.is_a?(Hash)
           result += flatten_params(value, calculated_key)
         elsif value.is_a?(Array)
diff --git a/test/stripe/account_test.rb b/test/stripe/account_test.rb
index 85c8a8d7..0b8216ff 100644
--- a/test/stripe/account_test.rb
+++ b/test/stripe/account_test.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ module Stripe
 
       @mock.expects(:post).
         once.
-        with('https://api.stripe.com/v1/accounts/acct_foo', nil, 'legal_entity[address][line1]=2%20Three%20Four&legal_entity[first_name]=Bob').
+        with('https://api.stripe.com/v1/accounts/acct_foo', nil, 'legal_entity[address][line1]=2+Three+Four&legal_entity[first_name]=Bob').
         returns(make_response(resp))
 
       a = Stripe::Account.retrieve('acct_foo')
diff --git a/test/stripe/api_resource_test.rb b/test/stripe/api_resource_test.rb
index ac7cfbe9..34a3e402 100644
--- a/test/stripe/api_resource_test.rb
+++ b/test/stripe/api_resource_test.rb
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ module Stripe
 
       should "urlencode values in GET params" do
         response = make_response(make_charge_array)
-        @mock.expects(:get).with("#{Stripe.api_base}/v1/charges?customer=test%20customer", nil, nil).returns(response)
+        @mock.expects(:get).with("#{Stripe.api_base}/v1/charges?customer=test+customer", nil, nil).returns(response)
         charges = Stripe::Charge.list(:customer => 'test customer').data
         assert charges.kind_of? Array
       end
diff --git a/test/stripe/util_test.rb b/test/stripe/util_test.rb
index 301107f2..2c404fd5 100644
--- a/test/stripe/util_test.rb
+++ b/test/stripe/util_test.rb
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@ module Stripe
       assert_equal "foo",      Stripe::Util.url_encode(:foo)
       assert_equal "foo%2B",   Stripe::Util.url_encode("foo+")
       assert_equal "foo%26",   Stripe::Util.url_encode("foo&")
-    # Actually, we're going to alter the behavior of #url_encode slightly to
-    # simplify the form encoding path. This does not yet succeed.
-    # assert_equal "foo[bar]", Stripe::Util.url_encode("foo[bar]")
+      assert_equal "foo[bar]", Stripe::Util.url_encode("foo[bar]")
     end
 
     should "#flatten_params should encode parameters according to Rails convention" do