diff --git a/src/parser.ts b/src/parser.ts
index 36bd554..ad08740 100644
--- a/src/parser.ts
+++ b/src/parser.ts
@@ -215,14 +215,16 @@ export class Parser {
                 }
 
                 const firstMatch = matches[0];
+                const splitVal = firstMatch.split(":");
+                const value = splitVal.slice(1).join(":").trim();
 
-                // Don't do anything if it already contains a double quote
-                if (firstMatch.indexOf("\"") !== -1) {
+                // Don't do anything if the user has already quoted the value
+                if (value.startsWith("\"") || value.startsWith("'")) {
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                const splitVal = firstMatch.split(":");
-                const wrappedString = `${splitVal[0]}: "${splitVal.slice(1).join(":").trim()}"`;
+                const escapedValue = value.replace(/\\/g, "\\\\").replace(/"/g, "\\\"");
+                const wrappedString = `${splitVal[0]}: "${escapedValue}"`;
 
                 definitionsBlock = definitionsBlock.replace(firstMatch, wrappedString);
             }
diff --git a/tests/parser.spec.ts b/tests/parser.spec.ts
index b7584bf..3ef7507 100644
--- a/tests/parser.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/parser.spec.ts
@@ -383,6 +383,49 @@ describe("Template parser", () => {
         expect(parsedTemplate).toBeNull();
     });
 
+    test("should quote special variable values that contain double quotes", async () => {
+        const template = {
+            id: "note-id",
+            title: "Some Template",
+            body: dedent`
+                ---
+                template_title: {{ datetime format="dddd D MMMM YYYY" }}
+                template_tags: {{ datetime format="YYYY" }}, weekly
+                template_todo_alarm: {{ datetime set_time="09:00" delta_days=1 }}
+
+                ---
+            `
+        };
+
+        const parsedTemplate = await parser.parseTemplate(template);
+
+        assert(parsedTemplate);
+        expect(parsedTemplate.title).toEqual("Thursday 12 August 2021");
+        expect(parsedTemplate.tags).toStrictEqual(["2021", "weekly"]);
+        expect(parsedTemplate.todo_due).toEqual(1628845200000); // 13 August 2021 09:00
+    });
+
+    test("should keep backslashes and already quoted special variable values as written", async () => {
+        const titleWithBackslash = "Q3\\Q4 {{ datetime format=\"YYYY\" }}";
+        const template = {
+            id: "note-id",
+            title: "Some Template",
+            body: dedent`
+                ---
+                template_title: ${titleWithBackslash}
+                template_tags: 'weekly, {{ datetime format="YYYY" }}'
+
+                ---
+            `
+        };
+
+        const parsedTemplate = await parser.parseTemplate(template);
+
+        assert(parsedTemplate);
+        expect(parsedTemplate.title).toEqual("Q3\\Q4 2021");
+        expect(parsedTemplate.tags).toStrictEqual(["weekly", "2021"]);
+    });
+
     test("should show an error message if notebook defined in templates_notebook doesn't exist", async () => {
         const template = {
             id: "note-id",