diff --git a/lib/handlebars/utils.js b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
index 81050f999..d34646b7d 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/utils.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ const escape = {
   '>': '>',
   '"': '"',
   "'": ''',
-  '`': '`'
+  '`': '`',
+  '=': '='
 };
 
-const badChars = /[&<>"'`]/g,
-      possible = /[&<>"'`]/;
+const badChars = /[&<>"'`=]/g,
+      possible = /[&<>"'`=]/;
 
 function escapeChar(chr) {
   return escape[chr];
diff --git a/spec/utils.js b/spec/utils.js
index 81732c5e7..7248ac447 100644
--- a/spec/utils.js
+++ b/spec/utils.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ describe('utils', function() {
   describe('#escapeExpression', function() {
     it('shouhld escape html', function() {
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression('foo<&"\'>'), 'foo&lt;&amp;&quot;&#x27;&gt;');
+      equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression('foo='), 'foo&#x3D;');
     });
     it('should not escape SafeString', function() {
       var string = new Handlebars.SafeString('foo<&"\'>');