diff --git a/tests/phpunit/CiviTest/CiviUnitTestCase.php b/tests/phpunit/CiviTest/CiviUnitTestCase.php
index 563c97da8e5c..f6af8c1d3789 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/CiviTest/CiviUnitTestCase.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/CiviTest/CiviUnitTestCase.php
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ protected function setUp(): void {
 
     $this->renameLabels();
     $this->ensureMySQLMode(['IGNORE_SPACE', 'ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO', 'STRICT_TRANS_TABLES']);
+    putenv('CIVICRM_SMARTY_DEFAULT_ESCAPE=1');
   }
 
   /**