diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 989d0167..ba183a5a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ cargo run --release
 * In addition to `\n`, other escape sequences (octal, hex, C) are supported
   in the strings of the `y` command.
   Under POSIX these yield undefined behavior.
+* The `a`, `c`, and `i` commands do not require an initial backslash,
+  allow text to appear on the same line, and support escape sequences
+  in the specified text.
 * The substitution command replacement group `\0` is a synonym for &.
 * A `Q` command (optionally followed by an exit code) quits immediately.
 * The `q` command can be optionally followed by an exit code.
diff --git a/src/uu/sed/src/compiler.rs b/src/uu/sed/src/compiler.rs
index a0475768..aea92ea6 100644
--- a/src/uu/sed/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/src/uu/sed/src/compiler.rs
@@ -1023,15 +1023,101 @@ fn compile_number_command(
 
 /// Compile commands that take text as an argument.
 // Handles a, c, i
+// According to POSIX, these commands expect \ followed by text.
+// As a GNU extension the initial \ can be ommitted, and from then on
+// character escapes are honored.
 fn compile_text_command(
     lines: &mut ScriptLineProvider,
     line: &mut ScriptCharProvider,
     cmd: &mut Command,
-    _context: &mut ProcessingContext,
+    context: &mut ProcessingContext,
 ) -> UResult<CommandHandling> {
     line.advance(); // Skip the command character.
 
     line.eat_spaces(); // Skip any leading whitespace.
+    if context.posix {
+        compile_text_command_posix(lines, line, cmd, context)
+    } else {
+        compile_text_command_gnu(lines, line, cmd, context)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Compile commands that take text as an argument (GNU syntax).
+// Handles a, c, i; after the command and initial whitespace have been consumed.
+// According to POSIX, these commands expect \ followed by text.
+// As a GNU extension the initial \ can be ommitted, and from then on
+// character escapes are honored.
+fn compile_text_command_gnu(
+    lines: &mut ScriptLineProvider,
+    line: &mut ScriptCharProvider,
+    cmd: &mut Command,
+    _context: &mut ProcessingContext,
+) -> UResult<CommandHandling> {
+    // True after a \ at the end of a line
+    let mut escaped_newline = false;
+
+    // Skip optional \.
+    if !line.eol() && line.current() == '\\' {
+        line.advance();
+        escaped_newline = line.eol();
+    }
+
+    // Gather replacement text.  Stop on a non-escaped newline.
+    let mut text = String::new();
+    'text_content: loop {
+        if escaped_newline {
+            match lines.next_line()? {
+                None => {
+                    break 'text_content;
+                }
+                Some(line_string) => {
+                    *line = ScriptCharProvider::new(&line_string);
+                }
+            }
+            escaped_newline = false;
+        }
+
+        // Non-escaped newline
+        if line.eol() {
+            text.push('\n');
+            break 'text_content;
+        }
+
+        if line.current() == '\\' {
+            line.advance();
+
+            if line.eol() {
+                escaped_newline = true;
+                text.push('\n');
+                continue 'text_content;
+            }
+
+            match parse_char_escape(line) {
+                Some(decoded) => text.push(decoded),
+                None => {
+                    // Invalid escapes result in the escaped character.
+                    text.push(line.current());
+                    line.advance();
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            text.push(line.current());
+            line.advance();
+        }
+    }
+    cmd.data = CommandData::Text(Cow::Owned(text));
+    Ok(CommandHandling::Continue)
+}
+
+/// Compile commands that take text as an argument (POSIX syntax).
+// Handles a, c, i; after the command and initial whitespace have been consumed.
+// According to POSIX, these commands expect \ followed by text.
+fn compile_text_command_posix(
+    lines: &mut ScriptLineProvider,
+    line: &mut ScriptCharProvider,
+    cmd: &mut Command,
+    _context: &mut ProcessingContext,
+) -> UResult<CommandHandling> {
     if line.eol() || line.current() != '\\' {
         return compilation_error(
             lines,
@@ -2462,11 +2548,12 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn test_compile_spaces_single_line_text_command() {
+    fn test_compile_text_command_posix_spaces_single_line() {
         let mut chars = make_char_provider("a \\ ");
         let mut lines = make_line_provider(&["line1", "line2"]);
         let mut cmd = Command::default();
         let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+        context.posix = true;
 
         compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
         match &cmd.data {
@@ -2477,6 +2564,102 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compile_text_command_gnu_optional_backslash() {
+        let mut chars = make_char_provider("athere");
+        let mut lines = make_line_provider(&["line1", "line2"]);
+        let mut cmd = Command::default();
+        let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+
+        compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
+        match &cmd.data {
+            CommandData::Text(text) => {
+                assert_eq!(text, "there\n");
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected CommandData::Text"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compile_text_command_gnu_optional_backslash_spaces() {
+        let mut chars = make_char_provider("a \t there");
+        let mut lines = make_line_provider(&["line1", "line2"]);
+        let mut cmd = Command::default();
+        let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+
+        compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
+        match &cmd.data {
+            CommandData::Text(text) => {
+                assert_eq!(text, "there\n");
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected CommandData::Text"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compile_text_command_gnu_optional_backslash_eol_eof() {
+        let mut chars = make_char_provider("a");
+        let mut lines = make_line_provider(&[]);
+        let mut cmd = Command::default();
+        let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+
+        compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
+        match &cmd.data {
+            CommandData::Text(text) => {
+                assert_eq!(text, "\n");
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected CommandData::Text"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compile_text_command_gnu_optional_backslash_escape_eof() {
+        let mut chars = make_char_provider("a\\");
+        let mut lines = make_line_provider(&[]);
+        let mut cmd = Command::default();
+        let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+
+        compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
+        match &cmd.data {
+            CommandData::Text(text) => {
+                assert_eq!(text, "");
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected CommandData::Text"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compile_text_command_gnu_no_first_escape() {
+        let mut chars = make_char_provider("a\\tom");
+        let mut lines = make_line_provider(&[]);
+        let mut cmd = Command::default();
+        let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+
+        compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
+        match &cmd.data {
+            CommandData::Text(text) => {
+                assert_eq!(text, "tom\n");
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected CommandData::Text"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compile_text_command_gnu_char_escapes() {
+        let mut chars = make_char_provider("i\\>\\h\\elll\\bo\\nto\\");
+        let mut lines = make_line_provider(&["all\\a", ""]);
+        let mut cmd = Command::default();
+        let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+
+        compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context).unwrap();
+        match &cmd.data {
+            CommandData::Text(text) => {
+                assert_eq!(text, ">helll\x08o\nto\nall\x07\n");
+            }
+            _ => panic!("Expected CommandData::Text"),
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_compile_two_line_text_command() {
         let mut chars = make_char_provider("a\\");
@@ -2494,11 +2677,12 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn test_compile_text_command_without_backslash() {
+    fn test_compile_text_command_posix_without_backslash() {
         let mut chars = make_char_provider("a");
         let mut lines = make_line_provider(&["line1", "line2"]);
         let mut cmd = Command::default();
         let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+        context.posix = true;
 
         let result = compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context);
         assert!(result.is_err());
@@ -2507,11 +2691,12 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn test_compile_text_command_with_trailing_chars() {
+    fn test_compile_text_command_posix_with_trailing_chars() {
         let mut chars = make_char_provider("a \\ foo");
         let mut lines = make_line_provider(&["line1", "line2"]);
         let mut cmd = Command::default();
         let mut context = ProcessingContext::default();
+        context.posix = true;
 
         let result = compile_text_command(&mut lines, &mut chars, &mut cmd, &mut context);
         assert!(result.is_err());
diff --git a/src/uu/sed/src/delimited_parser.rs b/src/uu/sed/src/delimited_parser.rs
index 59fc16a9..9a77213f 100644
--- a/src/uu/sed/src/delimited_parser.rs
+++ b/src/uu/sed/src/delimited_parser.rs
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ pub fn parse_char_escape(line: &mut ScriptCharProvider) -> Option<char> {
             line.advance();
             Some('\x07')
         }
+        'b' => {
+            line.advance();
+            Some('\x08')
+        }
         'f' => {
             line.advance();
             Some('\x0c')
diff --git a/src/uu/sed/src/sed.rs b/src/uu/sed/src/sed.rs
index c7147127..dede22f7 100644
--- a/src/uu/sed/src/sed.rs
+++ b/src/uu/sed/src/sed.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ pub fn uu_app() -> Command {
             arg!(-l --length <NUM> "Specify the 'l' command line-wrap length.")
                 .value_parser(clap::value_parser!(u32)),
             arg!(-n --quiet "Suppress automatic printing of pattern space.").aliases(["silent"]),
-            arg!(--posix "Disable all POSIX extensions."),
+            arg!(--posix "Disable non-POSIX extensions."),
             arg!(-s --separate "Consider files as separate rather than as a long stream."),
             arg!(--sandbox "Operate in a sandbox by disabling e/r/w commands."),
             arg!(-u --unbuffered "Load minimal input data and flush output buffers regularly."),
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_sed.rs b/tests/by-util/test_sed.rs
index cfe26c51..5a8b0db7 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_sed.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_sed.rs
@@ -129,6 +129,23 @@ macro_rules! check_output {
     };
 }
 
+// Run ucmd twice to test POSIX conformance: Once where posix is "--posix"
+// and once where it has the dummy value "--follow-symlinks".
+// This shall be used to test commands that behave differently under POSIX.
+macro_rules! check_output_posix {
+    ($name:ident, [$($args:expr),* $(,)?]) => {
+        #[test]
+        fn $name() {
+            for posix in ["--posix", "--follow-symlinks"] {
+                new_ucmd!()
+                    .args(&[posix $(, $args)*]) // prepend posix, then add args
+                    .succeeds()
+                    .stdout_is_fixture(&format!("output/{}", stringify!($name)));
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Individual command tests
 
@@ -496,7 +513,10 @@ tb"#,
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Text: a, c, i
-check_output!(
+
+// Check both POSIX and GNU parsing routines.
+
+check_output_posix!(
     text_insert_quit,
     [
         "-e",
@@ -509,7 +529,7 @@ hello
     ]
 );
 
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_insert_between_subst,
     [
         "-n",
@@ -525,7 +545,7 @@ s/^/after_i/p
     ]
 );
 
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_append_between_subst,
     [
         "-n",
@@ -542,7 +562,7 @@ s/^/after_a/p
     ]
 );
 
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_append_before_next,
     [
         "-n",
@@ -559,7 +579,7 @@ s/$/$/p
     ]
 );
 
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_change_global,
     [
         "-n",
@@ -572,10 +592,9 @@ hello
     ]
 );
 
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_change_line,
     [
-        "-n",
         "-e",
         r#"
 8c\
@@ -585,10 +604,9 @@ hello
     ]
 );
 
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_change_range,
     [
-        "-n",
         "-e",
         r#"
 3,14c\
@@ -598,11 +616,9 @@ hello
     ]
 );
 
-// SunOS and GNU sed behave differently.   We follow POSIX.
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_change_reverse_range,
     [
-        "-n",
         "-e",
         r#"
 8,3c\
@@ -615,7 +631,7 @@ hello
 check_output!(text_delete, ["d", LINES1]);
 
 // Check that the pattern space is deleted.
-check_output!(
+check_output_posix!(
     text_change_print,
     [
         "-n",
@@ -629,6 +645,15 @@ p
     ]
 );
 
+// GNU syntax extensions:
+// Text can follow the initial \.
+// Character escapes are supported.
+// Invalid escapes result in the escaped character.
+check_output!(
+    text_insert_gnu,
+    ["-e", "i\\>\\h\\elll\x08o\\nto\\\nall\\a", LINES1]
+);
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // r, w commands
 check_output!(read_ok, [format!("4r {LINES2}"), LINES1.to_string()]);
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_line b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_line
index ce013625..4d1aeb6b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_line
+++ b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_line
@@ -1 +1,14 @@
+l1_1
+l1_2
+l1_3
+l1_4
+l1_5
+l1_6
+l1_7
 hello
+l1_9
+l1_10
+l1_11
+l1_12
+l1_13
+l1_14
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_range b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_range
index ce013625..760fdd2d 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_range
+++ b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_range
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+l1_1
+l1_2
 hello
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_reverse_range b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_reverse_range
index ce013625..4d1aeb6b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_reverse_range
+++ b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_change_reverse_range
@@ -1 +1,14 @@
+l1_1
+l1_2
+l1_3
+l1_4
+l1_5
+l1_6
+l1_7
 hello
+l1_9
+l1_10
+l1_11
+l1_12
+l1_13
+l1_14
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_insert_gnu b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_insert_gnu
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0090ec7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/sed/output/text_insert_gnu
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_1
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_2
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_3
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_4
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_5
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_6
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_7
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_8
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_9
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_10
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_11
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_12
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_13
+>helllo
+to
+all
+l1_14