diff --git a/wp-includes/formatting.php b/wp-includes/formatting.php
index 39b3a03bfb..bfcdc3dc7b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/formatting.php
+++ b/wp-includes/formatting.php
@@ -2414,7 +2414,7 @@ function tag_escape($tag_name) {
  * @return string text, safe for inclusion in LIKE query.
  */
 function like_escape($text) {
-	return addcslashes($text, '\\%_');
+	return str_replace(array("%", "_"), array("\\%", "\\_"), $text);
 }
 
 /**