diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d81e0ba..ebc4ff9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ GroovyCSV is available through Maven Central.
 ## Dependencies
 
 * [Groovy 1.8.x](http://groovy.codehaus.org) or later
-* [OpenCSV 4.x](http://opencsv.sourceforge.net/)
+* [OpenCSV 5.x](http://opencsv.sourceforge.net/)
 
 
 Many thanks to everyone who's contributed to the project and everyone in the OpenCSV team for
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 19f51f6..634de6d 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ repositories {
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    compile 	'com.opencsv:opencsv:4.0'
+    compile 	'com.opencsv:opencsv:5.0'
     compileOnly 'org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:1.8.8'
     testCompile 'org.spockframework:spock-core:1.1-groovy-2.4-rc-2'
     testCompile 'cglib:cglib-nodep:2.2'
diff --git a/src/com/xlson/groovycsv/CsvParser.groovy b/src/com/xlson/groovycsv/CsvParser.groovy
index 8c2faa6..c4343a7 100644
--- a/src/com/xlson/groovycsv/CsvParser.groovy
+++ b/src/com/xlson/groovycsv/CsvParser.groovy
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@
 
 package com.xlson.groovycsv
 
+import com.opencsv.CSVParser
 import com.opencsv.CSVReader
+import com.opencsv.ICSVParser
+import com.opencsv.validators.LineValidatorAggregator
+import com.opencsv.validators.RowValidatorAggregator
 
 /**
  * Helper class used to parse information from csv files using the column names
@@ -152,11 +156,23 @@ class CsvParser {
             quoteChar = args.quoteChar ?: '"'
         }
 
-        if (escapeChar != null) {
-            return new CSVReader(reader, separator, quoteChar, escapeChar, skipLines)
-        } else {
-            return new CSVReader(reader, separator, quoteChar, skipLines)
+        if (escapeChar == null) {
+            escapeChar = ICSVParser.DEFAULT_ESCAPE_CHARACTER
         }
+        CSVParser parser = new CSVParser(separator, quoteChar, escapeChar,
+                                         ICSVParser.DEFAULT_STRICT_QUOTES,
+                                         ICSVParser.DEFAULT_IGNORE_LEADING_WHITESPACE,
+                                         ICSVParser.DEFAULT_IGNORE_QUOTATIONS,
+                                         ICSVParser.DEFAULT_NULL_FIELD_INDICATOR,
+                                         Locale.getDefault())
+        return new CSVReader(reader, skipLines, parser,
+                             CSVReader.DEFAULT_KEEP_CR,
+                             CSVReader.DEFAULT_VERIFY_READER,
+                             CSVReader.DEFAULT_MULTILINE_LIMIT,
+                             Locale.getDefault(),
+                             new LineValidatorAggregator(),
+                             new RowValidatorAggregator(),
+                             null)
     }
 
     /**