diff --git a/doc/utils/converters/lammpsdoc/txt2rst.py b/doc/utils/converters/lammpsdoc/txt2rst.py
index f9ceb9b7ae..aec1b0d02d 100755
--- a/doc/utils/converters/lammpsdoc/txt2rst.py
+++ b/doc/utils/converters/lammpsdoc/txt2rst.py
@@ -57,10 +57,15 @@ class RSTMarkup(Markup):
         return text
 
     def convert(self, text):
+        text = self.escape_rst_chars(text)
         text = super().convert(text)
         text = self.inline_math(text)
         return text
 
+    def escape_rst_chars(self, text):
+        text = text.replace('*', '\\*')
+        return text
+
     def inline_math(self, text):
         start_pos = text.find("\\(")
         end_pos = text.find("\\)")
diff --git a/doc/utils/converters/tests/test_txt2rst.py b/doc/utils/converters/tests/test_txt2rst.py
index e2c20434be..9403d419a8 100644
--- a/doc/utils/converters/tests/test_txt2rst.py
+++ b/doc/utils/converters/tests/test_txt2rst.py
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ class TestMarkup(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("**bold** = [bold]\n"
                          "*italic* = {italic}\n", s)
 
+    def test_escape_rst_characters(self):
+        s = self.markup.convert("[*bold] and {italic*}")
+        self.assertEqual("**\*bold** and *italic\**", s)
+
     def test_paragraph_with_italic(self):
         self.assertEqual("A sentence with a *italic* word", self.markup.convert("A sentence with a {italic} word"))