diff --git a/appview/repo/repo.go b/appview/repo/repo.go
index cddf342..89d722a 100644
--- a/appview/repo/repo.go
+++ b/appview/repo/repo.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
 	"path"
 	"slices"
 	"sort"
@@ -1342,6 +1343,9 @@ func (rp *Repo) RepoCompare(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	base, _ = url.PathUnescape(base)
+	head, _ = url.PathUnescape(head)
+
 	if base == "" || head == "" {
 		log.Printf("invalid comparison")
 		rp.pages.Error404(w)