diff --git a/lib/delocalize/parsers/date_time.rb b/lib/delocalize/parsers/date_time.rb
index 40662f3..3648f03 100644
--- a/lib/delocalize/parsers/date_time.rb
+++ b/lib/delocalize/parsers/date_time.rb
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def input_formats(type)
       end
 
       def apply_regex(format)
-        format.gsub(/(#{REGEXPS.keys.join('|')})/) { |s| REGEXPS[$1] }
+        Regexp.escape(format).gsub(/(#{REGEXPS.keys.join('|')})/) { |s| REGEXPS[$1] }
       end
     end
   end