diff --git a/libtmux/formats.py b/libtmux/formats.py
index 9887162fb..1dd64ec80 100644
--- a/libtmux/formats.py
+++ b/libtmux/formats.py
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 For reference: https://github.com/tmux/tmux/blob/master/format.c
 
 """
+import os
+
+FORMAT_SEPERATOR = os.environ.get("TMUX_SEPERATOR", "|")
 
 SESSION_FORMATS = [
     'session_name',
diff --git a/libtmux/server.py b/libtmux/server.py
index 99f11c346..ccbff1fd0 100644
--- a/libtmux/server.py
+++ b/libtmux/server.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ def _list_sessions(self):
         sformats = formats.SESSION_FORMATS
         tmux_formats = ['#{%s}' % f for f in sformats]
 
-        tmux_args = ('-F%s' % '$@$'.join(tmux_formats),)  # output
+        tmux_args = ('-F%s' % formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR.join(tmux_formats),)  # output
 
         proc = self.cmd('list-sessions', *tmux_args)
 
@@ -154,7 +154,10 @@ def _list_sessions(self):
         sessions = proc.stdout
 
         # combine format keys with values returned from ``tmux list-sessions``
-        sessions = [dict(zip(sformats, session.split('$@$'))) for session in sessions]
+        sessions = [
+            dict(zip(sformats, session.split(formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR)))
+            for session in sessions
+        ]
 
         # clear up empty dict
         sessions = [
@@ -208,7 +211,7 @@ def _list_windows(self):
         proc = self.cmd(
             'list-windows',  # ``tmux list-windows``
             '-a',
-            '-F%s' % '$@$'.join(tmux_formats),  # output
+            '-F%s' % formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR.join(tmux_formats),  # output
         )
 
         if proc.stderr:
@@ -219,7 +222,10 @@ def _list_windows(self):
         wformats = ['session_name', 'session_id'] + formats.WINDOW_FORMATS
 
         # combine format keys with values returned from ``tmux list-windows``
-        windows = [dict(zip(wformats, window.split('$@$'))) for window in windows]
+        windows = [
+            dict(zip(wformats, window.split(formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR)))
+            for window in windows
+        ]
 
         # clear up empty dict
         windows = [dict((k, v) for k, v in window.items() if v) for window in windows]
@@ -268,7 +274,7 @@ def _list_panes(self):
             'window_id',
             'window_name',
         ] + formats.PANE_FORMATS
-        tmux_formats = ['#{%s}$@$' % f for f in pformats]
+        tmux_formats = [('#{%%s}%s' % formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR) % f for f in pformats]
 
         proc = self.cmd('list-panes', '-a', '-F%s' % ''.join(tmux_formats))  # output
 
@@ -286,7 +292,10 @@ def _list_panes(self):
         ] + formats.PANE_FORMATS
 
         # combine format keys with values returned from ``tmux list-panes``
-        panes = [dict(zip(pformats, window.split('$@$'))) for window in panes]
+        panes = [
+            dict(zip(pformats, window.split(formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR)))
+            for window in panes
+        ]
 
         # clear up empty dict
         panes = [
@@ -527,7 +536,7 @@ def new_session(
         tmux_args = (
             '-s%s' % session_name,
             '-P',
-            '-F%s' % '$@$'.join(tmux_formats),  # output
+            '-F%s' % formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR.join(tmux_formats),  # output
         )
 
         if not attach:
@@ -558,7 +567,7 @@ def new_session(
             os.environ['TMUX'] = env
 
         # combine format keys with values returned from ``tmux list-windows``
-        session = dict(zip(sformats, session.split('$@$')))
+        session = dict(zip(sformats, session.split(formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR)))
 
         # clear up empty dict
         session = dict((k, v) for k, v in session.items() if v)
diff --git a/libtmux/session.py b/libtmux/session.py
index 0c1db3f16..8d09f98e2 100644
--- a/libtmux/session.py
+++ b/libtmux/session.py
@@ -217,7 +217,9 @@ def new_window(
             start_directory = os.path.expanduser(start_directory)
             window_args += ('-c%s' % start_directory,)
 
-        window_args += ('-F"%s"' % '$@$'.join(tmux_formats),)  # output
+        window_args += (
+            '-F"%s"' % formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR.join(tmux_formats),
+        )  # output
         if window_name:
             window_args += ('-n%s' % window_name,)
 
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ def new_window(
 
         window = proc.stdout[0]
 
-        window = dict(zip(wformats, window.split('$@$')))
+        window = dict(zip(wformats, window.split(formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR)))
 
         # clear up empty dict
         window = dict((k, v) for k, v in window.items() if v)
diff --git a/libtmux/window.py b/libtmux/window.py
index 1c885bda3..8aa95c140 100644
--- a/libtmux/window.py
+++ b/libtmux/window.py
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ def split_window(
             'window_index',
             'window_id',
         ] + formats.PANE_FORMATS
-        tmux_formats = ['#{%s}$@$' % f for f in pformats]
+        tmux_formats = [(f'#{{{f}}}{formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR}') for f in pformats]
 
         # '-t%s' % self.attached_pane.get('pane_id'),
         # 2013-10-18 LOOK AT THIS, rm'd it..
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ def split_window(
         else:
             pane = pane.stdout[0]
 
-            pane = dict(zip(pformats, pane.split('$@$')))
+            pane = dict(zip(pformats, pane.split(formats.FORMAT_SEPERATOR)))
 
             # clear up empty dict
             pane = dict((k, v) for k, v in pane.items() if v)