diff --git a/logfmt/formatter.py b/logfmt/formatter.py
index e0937fa..74cbf43 100644
--- a/logfmt/formatter.py
+++ b/logfmt/formatter.py
@@ -16,7 +16,14 @@ def format_line(extra):
         else:
             if isinstance(v, (dict, object)):
                 v = str(v)
-            v = '"%s"' % v.replace('"', '\\"')
+            needs_quoting = ' ' in v or '=' in v
+            needs_escaping = '"' in v
+            if needs_escaping:
+                v = '%s' % v.replace('"', '\\"')
+            if needs_quoting:
+                v = '"%s"' % v
+            if v == "":
+                v = '""'
         outarr.append("%s=%s" % (k, v))
     return " ".join(outarr)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_formatter.py b/tests/test_formatter.py
index da0a8c0..df9d1c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_formatter.py
+++ b/tests/test_formatter.py
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ class FormatterTestCase(TestCase):
     def test_empty_log_line(self):
         data = format_line({})
         self.assertEqual(data, "")
+    
+    def test_empty_string(self):
+        data = format_line({'key':''})
+        self.assertEqual(data, 'key=""')
 
     def test_key_without_value(self):
         data = format_line( OrderedDict([("key1", None), ("key2", None)]) )
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ def test_custom_float_format(self):
             ("key2", "%.7f" % -234234234.2342342)
         ]))
 
-        self.assertEqual(data, "key1=342.23424 key2=\"-234234234.2342342\"")
+        self.assertEqual(data, "key1=342.23424 key2=-234234234.2342342")
 
     def test_string_value(self):
         data = format_line( OrderedDict([
@@ -48,6 +52,18 @@ def test_string_value(self):
         ]))
 
         self.assertEqual(data, '''key1="some random !@#$%^\\"&**_+-={}\\|;\':,./<>?)" key2="here\'s a line with\nmore stuff on the next"''')
+    
+    def test_kr_logfmt(self):
+        """        
+        Test using canonical example from https://github.com/kr/logfmt/blob/b84e30acd515aadc4b783ad4ff83aff3299bdfe0/example_test.go#L45
+        """
+        data = format_line(OrderedDict([
+            ("measure.a", "1ms"),
+            ("measure.b", 10),
+            ("measure.c", "100MB"),
+            ("measure.d", "1s"),
+        ]))
+        self.assertEqual(data, "measure.a=1ms measure.b=10 measure.c=100MB measure.d=1s")