diff --git a/cliff.toml b/cliff.toml
index 7832044a..755c4ca2 100644
--- a/cliff.toml
+++ b/cliff.toml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ body = """
     * [<tt>{{ commit.id | split(pat="") | slice(end=11) | join() }}</tt>]\
       (https://code.host.antville.org/antville/helma/commit/{{ commit.id }}) \
       {% if commit.breaking %}**Breaking:** {% endif %}\
-      {{ commit.message | split(pat="\\n") | first | upper_first }}\
+      {{ commit.message | split(pat="\\n") | first | upper_first | escape }}\
   {% endfor %}
 {% endfor %}