diff --git a/src/editor/serialize.js b/src/editor/serialize.js
index ba380f2809..03f3759ea0 100644
--- a/src/editor/serialize.js
+++ b/src/editor/serialize.js
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ export function htmlSerializeIfNeeded(model, {forceHTML = false} = {}) {
     if (!parser.isPlainText() || forceHTML) {
         return parser.toHTML();
     }
+    // Format "plain" text to ensure removal of backslash escapes
+    // https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/11230
+    // https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/2870
+    const postParsePlaintext = parser.toPlaintext();
+    if (postParsePlaintext !== md) {
+        // only return "formatted" text if it differs from the source text
+        return postParsePlaintext;
+    }
 }
 
 export function textSerialize(model) {
diff --git a/test/editor/serialize-test.js b/test/editor/serialize-test.js
index 7517e46437..9d116cdc4b 100644
--- a/test/editor/serialize-test.js
+++ b/test/editor/serialize-test.js
@@ -43,4 +43,10 @@ describe('editor/serialize', function() {
         const html = htmlSerializeIfNeeded(model, {});
         expect(html).toBe("<em>hello</em> world");
     });
+    it('escaped markdown should not retain backslashes', function() {
+        const pc = createPartCreator();
+        const model = new EditorModel([pc.plain('\\*hello\\* world')]);
+        const html = htmlSerializeIfNeeded(model, {});
+        expect(html).toBe('*hello* world');
+    });
 });