diff --git a/src/commands/text.js b/src/commands/text.js
index 59614ee..5af2946 100644
--- a/src/commands/text.js
+++ b/src/commands/text.js
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
   _.latex = function() {
     var contents = this.textContents();
     if (contents.length === 0) return '';
-    return '\\text{' + contents + '}';
+    return '\\text{' + contents.replace(/\\/g, '\\backslash ').replace(/[{}]/g, '\\$&') + '}';
   };
   _.html = function() {
     return (
diff --git a/test/unit/publicapi.test.js b/test/unit/publicapi.test.js
index 4395cc8..4b71904 100644
--- a/test/unit/publicapi.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/publicapi.test.js
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@
       });
       test('backslashes', function() {
         assertPaste('something \\pi something \\asdf',
-                    '\\text{something \\pi something \\asdf}');
+                    '\\text{something \\backslash pi something \\backslash asdf}');
       });
       // TODO: braces (currently broken)
       test('actual math LaTeX wrapped in dollar signs', function() {
diff --git a/test/unit/typing.test.js b/test/unit/typing.test.js
index 0cb6446..a3f2253 100644
--- a/test/unit/typing.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/typing.test.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 
     test('\\text followed by command', function() {
       mq.typedText('\\text{');
-      assertLatex('\\text{{}');
+      assertLatex('\\text{\\{}');
     });
   });