diff --git a/lexer.go b/lexer.go
index eed8059..29b14fd 100644
--- a/lexer.go
+++ b/lexer.go
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ const (
 )
 
 const (
-	OpenLink  = "[["
-	CloseLink = "]]"
-	Alias     = "|"
-	Heading   = "#"
-	BlockRef  = "#^"
+	OpenLink   = "[["
+	CloseLink  = "]]"
+	Alias      = "|"
+	Heading    = "#"
+	BlockRef   = "#^"
+	EscapeChar = `\`
 )
 
 func Lex(name, input string, level zapcore.Level) *Lexer {
diff --git a/lexer_test.go b/lexer_test.go
index 7f46a58..3191418 100644
--- a/lexer_test.go
+++ b/lexer_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,19 @@ import (
 	"code.ndumas.com/ndumas/obsidian-markdown"
 )
 
-var SingleWikilink = []tc{
+var wikilinkWithEscapeCharacters = []tc{
+	{
+		name: "wikilink",
+		in:   `[[wiki\]link]]`,
+		expected: []markdown.Lexeme{
+			{Typ: markdown.LexOpenLink, Val: "[["},
+			{Typ: markdown.LexIdent, Val: `wiki\]link`},
+			{Typ: markdown.LexCloseLink, Val: "]]"},
+		},
+	},
+}
+
+var singleWikilink = []tc{
 	{
 		name: "wikilink",
 		in:   "[[wikilink]]",
@@ -197,8 +209,25 @@ var SingleWikilink = []tc{
 	},
 }
 
+func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksWithEscapeCharacters(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range wikilinkWithEscapeCharacters {
+		mut, test := mutateTestCase(
+			tc,
+			"",
+			"",
+			[]markdown.Lexeme{
+				{Typ: markdown.LexText, Val: ""},
+			},
+			[]markdown.Lexeme{
+				{Typ: markdown.LexText, Val: ""},
+			},
+		)
+		t.Run(mut.name, test)
+	}
+}
+
 func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksEndOfMultiLineInput(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, tc := range SingleWikilink {
+	for _, tc := range singleWikilink {
 		mut, test := mutateTestCase(
 			tc,
 			" test data please ignore.\nbling blonk more lines\nbling blong\nthis is a",
@@ -219,7 +248,7 @@ func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksEndOfMultiLineInput(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksStartOfMultiLineInput(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, tc := range SingleWikilink {
+	for _, tc := range singleWikilink {
 		mut, test := mutateTestCase(
 			tc,
 			"",
@@ -240,7 +269,7 @@ func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksStartOfMultiLineInput(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksStartOfInput(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, tc := range SingleWikilink {
+	for _, tc := range singleWikilink {
 		mut, test := mutateTestCase(
 			tc,
 			"",
@@ -258,7 +287,7 @@ func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksStartOfInput(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksEndOfInput(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, tc := range SingleWikilink {
+	for _, tc := range singleWikilink {
 		mut, test := mutateTestCase(
 			tc,
 			"this is a ",
@@ -276,7 +305,7 @@ func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_LinksEndOfInput(t *testing.T) {
 
 func Test_ObsidianWikilinks_Basic(t *testing.T) {
 
-	for _, tc := range SingleWikilink {
+	for _, tc := range singleWikilink {
 		mut, test := mutateTestCase(
 			tc,
 			"",
diff --git a/states.go b/states.go
index 29a27d4..a8566e9 100644
--- a/states.go
+++ b/states.go
@@ -26,15 +26,19 @@ func isBlockRef(s string) bool {
 	return strings.HasPrefix(s, BlockRef)
 }
 
+func isEscape(s string) bool {
+	return strings.HasPrefix(s, EscapeChar)
+}
+
 func lexIdent(l *Lexer) stateFn {
+	L := l.L.Named("lexIdent")
 	for {
-		L := l.L.Named("lexIdent")
 		s := l.input[l.GetPos():]
 		L.Debug("stepping through lexIdent")
-		if s[0] == '\\' { // i think this will handle escape characters?
-			break
-		}
 		switch {
+		case isEscape(s):
+			l.next()
+			continue
 		case isCloseLink(s):
 			L.Debug("found CloseLink")
 			l.emit(LexIdent)
@@ -85,10 +89,17 @@ func lexAlias(l *Lexer) stateFn {
 func lexText(l *Lexer) stateFn {
 	L := l.L.Named("lexText")
 	for {
-		if isOpenLink(l.input[l.GetPos():]) {
+		s := l.input[l.GetPos():]
+		L.Debug("stepping through lexText")
+		switch {
+		case isEscape(s):
+			l.next()
+			continue
+		case isOpenLink(s):
 			L.Debug("found openLink")
 			l.emit(LexText)
 			return lexOpenLink
+
 		}
 		r := l.next()
 		switch {