diff --git a/lib/hafriedlander/Peg/Compiler/Token/Literal.php b/lib/hafriedlander/Peg/Compiler/Token/Literal.php
index c97a60a..101be06 100644
--- a/lib/hafriedlander/Peg/Compiler/Token/Literal.php
+++ b/lib/hafriedlander/Peg/Compiler/Token/Literal.php
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 
 class Literal extends Expressionable {
 	function __construct( $value ) {
-		parent::__construct( 'literal', "'" . substr($value,1,-1) . "'" );
+		// escape single quotes
+		$escaped_value = str_replace('\'', '\\\'', substr($value,1,-1));
+		parent::__construct( 'literal', "'" . $escaped_value . "'" );
 	}
 
 	function match_code( $value ) {