diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs
index 65af8174e2..74b37175a2 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs
@@ -137,10 +137,15 @@ fn value_to_string(v: &Value, span: Span) -> Result<String, ShellError> {
             }
             Ok(format!("{{{}}}", collection.join(", ")))
         }
-        Value::String { val, .. } => Ok(format!("\"{}\"", val)),
+        Value::String { val, .. } => Ok(format!("\"{}\"", escape(val))),
     }
 }
 
+fn escape(input: &str) -> String {
+    let output = input.replace('\\', "\\\\");
+    output.replace('"', "\\\"")
+}
+
 fn to_nuon(call: &Call, input: PipelineData) -> Result<String, ShellError> {
     let v = input.into_value(call.head);
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/nuon.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/nuon.rs
index 37dcce7a4c..d1fe9d23f1 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/nuon.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/nuon.rs
@@ -74,6 +74,34 @@ fn to_nuon_bool() {
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "false");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn to_nuon_escaping() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+        cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            "hello\"world"
+            | to nuon
+            | from nuon
+        "#
+    ));
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "hello\"world");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn to_nuon_escaping2() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+        cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            "hello\\world"
+            | to nuon
+            | from nuon
+        "#
+    ));
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "hello\\world");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn to_nuon_negative_int() {
     let actual = nu!(