diff --git a/lib/handlebars/safe-string.js b/lib/handlebars/safe-string.js
index 2ae49aa89..a6b8ecf20 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/safe-string.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/safe-string.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ function SafeString(string) {
   this.string = string;
 }
 
-SafeString.prototype.toString = function() {
+SafeString.prototype.toString = SafeString.prototype.toHTML = function() {
   return "" + this.string;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/handlebars/utils.js b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
index f38b7afb2..ce850776b 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/utils.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ export var isArray = Array.isArray || function(value) {
 
 export function escapeExpression(string) {
   // don't escape SafeStrings, since they're already safe
-  if (string instanceof SafeString) {
-    return string.toString();
+  if (string && string.toHTML) {
+    return string.toHTML();
   } else if (string == null) {
     return "";
   } else if (!string) {
diff --git a/spec/utils.js b/spec/utils.js
index 0216c8de8..4582e2496 100644
--- a/spec/utils.js
+++ b/spec/utils.js
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ describe('utils', function() {
       var string = new Handlebars.SafeString('foo<&"\'>');
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(string), 'foo<&"\'>');
 
+      var obj = {
+        toHTML: function() {
+          return 'foo<&"\'>';
+        }
+      };
+      equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(obj), 'foo<&"\'>');
     });
     it('should handle falsy', function() {
       equals(Handlebars.Utils.escapeExpression(''), '');