diff --git a/lib/banzai/filter/abstract_reference_filter.rb b/lib/banzai/filter/abstract_reference_filter.rb
index bdaa4721b4b..63ad8910c0f 100644
--- a/lib/banzai/filter/abstract_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/banzai/filter/abstract_reference_filter.rb
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ module Banzai
           project = project_from_ref(project_ref)
 
           if project && object = find_object(project, id)
-            title = escape_once(object_link_title(object))
+            title = object_link_title(object)
             klass = reference_class(object_sym)
 
             data  = data_attribute(
@@ -110,17 +110,11 @@ module Banzai
             url = matches[:url] if matches.names.include?("url")
             url ||= url_for_object(object, project)
 
-            text = link_text
-            unless text
-              text = object.reference_link_text(context[:project])
-
-              extras = object_link_text_extras(object, matches)
-              text += " (#{extras.join(", ")})" if extras.any?
-            end
+            text = link_text || object_link_text(object, matches)
 
             %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
-                 title="#{title}"
-                 class="#{klass}">#{text}</a>)
+                 title="#{escape_once(title)}"
+                 class="#{klass}">#{escape_once(text)}</a>)
           else
             match
           end
@@ -140,6 +134,15 @@ module Banzai
       def object_link_title(object)
         "#{object_class.name.titleize}: #{object.title}"
       end
+
+      def object_link_text(object, matches)
+        text = object.reference_link_text(context[:project])
+
+        extras = object_link_text_extras(object, matches)
+        text += " (#{extras.join(", ")})" if extras.any?
+
+        text
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/banzai/filter/external_issue_reference_filter.rb b/lib/banzai/filter/external_issue_reference_filter.rb
index f5942740cd6..6136e73c096 100644
--- a/lib/banzai/filter/external_issue_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/banzai/filter/external_issue_reference_filter.rb
@@ -63,15 +63,15 @@ module Banzai
 
           url = url_for_issue(id, project, only_path: context[:only_path])
 
-          title = escape_once("Issue in #{project.external_issue_tracker.title}")
+          title = "Issue in #{project.external_issue_tracker.title}"
           klass = reference_class(:issue)
           data  = data_attribute(project: project.id, external_issue: id)
 
           text = link_text || match
 
           %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
-               title="#{title}"
-               class="#{klass}">#{text}</a>)
+               title="#{escape_once(title)}"
+               class="#{klass}">#{escape_once(text)}</a>)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/banzai/filter/label_reference_filter.rb b/lib/banzai/filter/label_reference_filter.rb
index 07bac2dd7fd..a3a7a23c1e6 100644
--- a/lib/banzai/filter/label_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/banzai/filter/label_reference_filter.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ module Banzai
             text = link_text || render_colored_label(label)
 
             %(<a href="#{url}" #{data}
-                 class="#{klass}">#{text}</a>)
+                 class="#{klass}">#{escape_once(text)}</a>)
           else
             match
           end
diff --git a/lib/banzai/filter/reference_filter.rb b/lib/banzai/filter/reference_filter.rb
index 33457a3f361..a22a7a7afd3 100644
--- a/lib/banzai/filter/reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/banzai/filter/reference_filter.rb
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ module Banzai
       # Returns a String
       def data_attribute(attributes = {})
         attributes[:reference_filter] = self.class.name.demodulize
-        attributes.map { |key, value| %Q(data-#{key.to_s.dasherize}="#{value}") }.join(" ")
+        attributes.map { |key, value| %Q(data-#{key.to_s.dasherize}="#{escape_once(value)}") }.join(" ")
       end
 
       def escape_once(html)
-        ERB::Util.html_escape_once(html)
+        html.html_safe? ? html : ERB::Util.html_escape_once(html)
       end
 
       def ignore_parents
diff --git a/lib/banzai/filter/user_reference_filter.rb b/lib/banzai/filter/user_reference_filter.rb
index 67c24faf991..7f302d51dd7 100644
--- a/lib/banzai/filter/user_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/banzai/filter/user_reference_filter.rb
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ module Banzai
       end
 
       def link_tag(url, data, text)
-        %(<a href="#{url}" #{data} class="#{link_class}">#{text}</a>)
+        %(<a href="#{url}" #{data} class="#{link_class}">#{escape_once(text)}</a>)
       end
     end
   end