diff --git a/helpers/helpers.js b/helpers/helpers.js
index adceddf..a76f092 100644
--- a/helpers/helpers.js
+++ b/helpers/helpers.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ exports['json-stringify'] = JSON.stringify
 Escape special markdown characters
 */
 function escape (input) {
-  if (typeof input !== 'string') return null
+  if (typeof input !== 'string') return input
   return input.replace(/([*|_])/g, '\\$1')
 }
 
diff --git a/partials/partial-cache.js b/partials/partial-cache.js
index b607a30..54ad88c 100644
--- a/partials/partial-cache.js
+++ b/partials/partial-cache.js
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ module.exports = [
   ],
   [
     'defaultvalue',
-    '{{#unless (equal defaultvalue undefined)}}<code>{{#if equals}} = {{/if}}{{#if (equal type.names.[0] "string")}}{{json-stringify defaultvalue}}{{else}}{{defaultvalue}}{{/if}}</code>{{/unless}}'
+    '{{#unless (equal defaultvalue undefined)}}<code>{{#if equals}} = {{/if}}{{#if (equal type.names.[0] "string")}}{{escape (json-stringify defaultvalue)}}{{else}}{{escape defaultvalue}}{{/if}}</code>{{/unless}}'
   ],
   [
     'link',
diff --git a/partials/shared/value/defaultvalue.hbs b/partials/shared/value/defaultvalue.hbs
index e7791c6..b31f8d2 100644
--- a/partials/shared/value/defaultvalue.hbs
+++ b/partials/shared/value/defaultvalue.hbs
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{{#unless (equal defaultvalue undefined)}}<code>{{#if equals}} = {{/if}}{{#if (equal type.names.[0] "string")}}{{json-stringify defaultvalue}}{{else}}{{defaultvalue}}{{/if}}</code>{{/unless}}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{#unless (equal defaultvalue undefined)}}<code>{{#if equals}} = {{/if}}{{#if (equal type.names.[0] "string")}}{{escape (json-stringify defaultvalue)}}{{else}}{{escape defaultvalue}}{{/if}}</code>{{/unless}}
\ No newline at end of file