diff --git a/ext/redcarpet/markdown.c b/ext/redcarpet/markdown.c
index 95222214..7ed853be 100644
--- a/ext/redcarpet/markdown.c
+++ b/ext/redcarpet/markdown.c
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ char_quote(struct buf *ob, struct sd_markdown *rndr, uint8_t *data, size_t offse
 static size_t
 char_escape(struct buf *ob, struct sd_markdown *rndr, uint8_t *data, size_t offset, size_t size)
 {
-	static const char *escape_chars = "\\`*_{}[]()#+-.!:|&<>^~=";
+	static const char *escape_chars = "`*_{}[]()#+-.!:|&<>^~=";
 	struct buf work = { 0, 0, 0, 0 };
 
 	if (size > 1) {
diff --git a/test/markdown_test.rb b/test/markdown_test.rb
index 4347be9b..828cc94b 100644
--- a/test/markdown_test.rb
+++ b/test/markdown_test.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ def test_that_html_blocks_do_not_require_their_own_end_tag_line
     assert_equal expected, output
   end
 
+  def test_that_backslashes_escape_properly
+    output   = render("visit \\\\server\\path \\**now**")
+    expected = "<p>visit \\\\server\\path *<em>now</em>*</p>"
+    assert_equal expected, output
+  end
+
   # This isn't in the spec but is Markdown.pl behavior.
   def test_block_quotes_preceded_by_spaces
     output = render <<-Markdown.strip_heredoc