diff --git a/lua/octo/utils.lua b/lua/octo/utils.lua
index b03ad42e7..7f9eadfb3 100644
--- a/lua/octo/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/octo/utils.lua
@@ -748,8 +748,7 @@ end
 
 --- Escapes a characters on a string to be used as a JSON string
 function M.escape_char(string)
-  return string.gsub(string, '["\\]', {
-    ['"'] = '\\"',
+  return string.gsub(string, "[\\]", {
     ["\\"] = "\\\\",
   })
 end
diff --git a/lua/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua b/lua/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua
index 18b4bdcae..be964c657 100644
--- a/lua/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua
@@ -47,3 +47,23 @@ describe("Utils module:", function()
     end)
   end)
 end)
+
+describe("Utils escape_char(): ", function()
+  it("escapes backslash characters in a string", function()
+    local input = [[hello \\ world]]
+    local expected = [[hello \\\\ world]]
+    eq(expected, this.escape_char(input))
+  end)
+
+  it("returns the same string if no escape characters", function()
+    local input = [['hello/ ~^'*$"world%]]
+    local expected = [['hello/ ~^'*$"world%]]
+    eq(expected, this.escape_char(input))
+  end)
+
+  it("handles an empty string", function()
+    local input = ""
+    local expected = ""
+    eq(expected, this.escape_char(input))
+  end)
+end)