diff --git a/doc/ext/autosummary.rst b/doc/ext/autosummary.rst
index 8548fbd5e..d2e94e7da 100644
--- a/doc/ext/autosummary.rst
+++ b/doc/ext/autosummary.rst
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ is not supported.)
    may indicate that it's a better idea to write custom narrative documentation
    instead.
 
-Autosummary uses the following template files:
+Autosummary uses the following Jinja template files:
 
 - :file:`autosummary/base.rst` -- fallback template
 - :file:`autosummary/module.rst` -- template for modules
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ The following variables available in the templates:
 
 .. data:: underline
 
-   A string containing ``len(full_name) * '='``.
+   A string containing ``len(full_name) * '='``. Use the ``underline`` filter
+   instead.
 
 .. data:: members
 
@@ -227,7 +228,25 @@ The following variables available in the templates:
    List containing names of "public" attributes in the class.  Only available
    for classes.
 
+
+Additionally, the following filters are available
+
+.. function:: escape(s)
+
+   Escape any special characters in the text to be used in formatting RST
+   contexts. For instance, this prevents asterisks making things bolt. This
+   replaces the builtin Jinja `escape filter`_ that does html-escaping.
+
+.. function:: underline(s, line='=')
+
+   Add a title underline to a piece of text.
+
+For instance, ``{{ fullname | escape | underline }}`` should be used to produce
+the title of a page.
+
 .. note::
 
    You can use the :rst:dir:`autosummary` directive in the stub pages.
    Stub pages are generated also based on these directives.
+
+.. _`escape filter`: http://jinja.pocoo.org/docs/2.9/templates/#escape
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py
index 173c9ab08..b68846711 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from sphinx.ext.autosummary import import_by_name, get_documenter
 from sphinx.jinja2glue import BuiltinTemplateLoader
 from sphinx.util.osutil import ensuredir
 from sphinx.util.inspect import safe_getattr
+from sphinx.util.rst import escape as rst_escape
 
 # Add documenters to AutoDirective registry
 from sphinx.ext.autodoc import add_documenter, \
@@ -80,6 +81,12 @@ def _simple_warn(msg):
     print('WARNING: ' + msg, file=sys.stderr)
 
 
+def _underline(title, line='='):
+    if '\n' in title:
+        raise ValueError('Can only underline single lines')
+    return title + '\n' + line * len(title)
+
+
 # -- Generating output ---------------------------------------------------------
 
 def generate_autosummary_docs(sources, output_dir=None, suffix='.rst',
@@ -110,6 +117,11 @@ def generate_autosummary_docs(sources, output_dir=None, suffix='.rst',
             template_dirs.insert(0, template_dir)
         template_loader = FileSystemLoader(template_dirs)
     template_env = SandboxedEnvironment(loader=template_loader)
+    template_env.filters['underline'] = _underline
+
+    # replace the builtin html filters
+    template_env.filters['escape'] = rst_escape
+    template_env.filters['e'] = rst_escape
 
     # read
     items = find_autosummary_in_files(sources)
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/base.rst b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/base.rst
index 21a0ccd83..b7556ebf7 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/base.rst
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/base.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-{{ fullname }}
-{{ underline }}
+{{ fullname | escape | underline}}
 
 .. currentmodule:: {{ module }}
 
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/class.rst b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/class.rst
index 40494dadb..8861b79a9 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/class.rst
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/class.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-{{ fullname }}
-{{ underline }}
+{{ fullname | escape | underline}}
 
 .. currentmodule:: {{ module }}
 
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/module.rst b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/module.rst
index c14456ba1..6ec89e05e 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/module.rst
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/templates/autosummary/module.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-{{ fullname }}
-{{ underline }}
+{{ fullname | escape | underline}}
 
 .. automodule:: {{ fullname }}
 
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-autosummary/contents.rst b/tests/roots/test-autosummary/contents.rst
index 0355c95b2..5ddc4bd40 100644
--- a/tests/roots/test-autosummary/contents.rst
+++ b/tests/roots/test-autosummary/contents.rst
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@
    :toctree:
 
    dummy_module
+   underscore_module_
    sphinx
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-autosummary/underscore_module_.py b/tests/roots/test-autosummary/underscore_module_.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3da50542
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-autosummary/underscore_module_.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+"""
+module with trailing underscores everywhere
+"""
+class class_(object):
+    """ Class """
+    def method_(_arg):
+        """ Method """
+        pass
+
+def function_(_arg):
+    """ Function """
+    pass
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py b/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
index 434664928..146acb8eb 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ from six import iteritems, StringIO
 
 from sphinx.ext.autosummary import mangle_signature
 
+from util import etree_parse
+
 import pytest
 
 html_warnfile = StringIO()
@@ -103,3 +105,24 @@ def test_get_items_summary(app, status, warning):
                   'Test function take an argument ended with underscore.',
                   'dummy_module.func')
     assert autosummary_items['func'] == func_attrs
+
+def str_content(elem):
+    if elem.text is not None:
+        return elem.text
+    else:
+        return ''.join(str_content(e) for e in elem)
+
+@pytest.mark.sphinx('xml', **default_kw)
+def test_escaping(app, status, warning):
+    from xml.etree import ElementTree
+
+    app.builder.build_all()
+
+    outdir = app.builder.outdir
+
+    docpage = outdir / 'underscore_module_.xml'
+    assert docpage.exists()
+
+    title = etree_parse(docpage).find('section/title')
+
+    assert str_content(title) == 'underscore_module_'