diff --git a/index.d.ts b/index.d.ts
index d378964..3546af1 100644
--- a/index.d.ts
+++ b/index.d.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ declare namespace open {
 		readonly app?: string | readonly string[];
 
 		/**
-		Uses `encodeURI` to encode the `target` before executing it.
+		Uses `URL` to encode the `target` before executing it.
 
 		The use with targets that are not URLs is not recommended.
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index e741e45..67b3c29 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const {promisify} = require('util');
 const path = require('path');
 const childProcess = require('child_process');
 const fs = require('fs');
+const url = require('url');
 const isWsl = require('is-wsl');
 const isDocker = require('is-docker');
 
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ module.exports = async (target, options) => {
 	// double-quotes through the “double-quotes on Windows caveat”, but it
 	// can be used on any platform.
 	if (options.url) {
-		target = encodeURI(target);
+		target = new url.URL(target).href;
 
 		if (isWsl) {
 			target = target.replace(/&/g, '^&');
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 9d947f2..4669e86 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ You may also pass in the app's full path. For example on WSL, this can be `/mnt/
 Type: `boolean`\
 Default: `false`
 
-Uses `encodeURI` to encode the target before executing it.<br>
+Uses `URL` to encode the target before executing it.<br>
 We do not recommend using it on targets that are not URLs.
 
 Especially useful when dealing with the [double-quotes on Windows](#double-quotes-on-windows) caveat.
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index 91af5d5..1caf538 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -78,6 +78,14 @@ test('open URL with query strings, spaces, pipes and a fragment', async () => {
 	await open('https://sindresorhus.com/?abc=123&def=456&ghi=w|i|t|h spaces#projects');
 });
 
+test('open URL with query strings and URL reserved characters', async () => {
+	await open('https://httpbin.org/get?amp=%26&colon=%3A&comma=%2C&commat=%40&dollar=%24&equals=%3D&plus=%2B&quest=%3F&semi=%3B&sol=%2F');
+});
+
+test('open URL with query strings and URL reserved characters with `url` option', async () => {
+	await open('https://httpbin.org/get?amp=%26&colon=%3A&comma=%2C&commat=%40&dollar=%24&equals=%3D&plus=%2B&quest=%3F&semi=%3B&sol=%2F', {url: true});
+});
+
 if (isWsl) {
 	test('open URL in specified Windows app given a WSL path to the app', async () => {
 		await open('https://sindresorhus.com', {app: firefoxWslName});