diff --git a/sphinx/util/texescape.py b/sphinx/util/texescape.py
index f490c25c1..b7928ce37 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/texescape.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/texescape.py
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ tex_replacements = [
     ('`', r'{}`'),
     ('<', r'\textless{}'),
     ('>', r'\textgreater{}'),
-    # map char for some unknown reason.  TODO: remove this?
-    ('|', r'\textbar{}'),
     # map special Unicode characters to TeX commands
     ('✓', r'\(\checkmark\)'),
     ('✔', r'\(\pmb{\checkmark}\)'),
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index fbdef1f4c..345350a63 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -1816,6 +1816,7 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(SphinxTranslator):
             value = value.replace('"', '""')
             value = value.replace('@', '"@')
             value = value.replace('!', '"!')
+            value = value.replace('|', r'\textbar{}')
             return value
 
         def style(string):
diff --git a/tests/test_build_latex.py b/tests/test_build_latex.py
index 38e99f48a..8c023b8e4 100644
--- a/tests/test_build_latex.py
+++ b/tests/test_build_latex.py
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ def test_numref_with_prefix2(app, status, warning):
     assert ('\\hyperref[\\detokenize{baz:table22}]'
             '{Table:\\ref{\\detokenize{baz:table22}}}') in result
     assert ('\\hyperref[\\detokenize{index:code-1}]{Code-\\ref{\\detokenize{index:code-1}} '
-            '\\textbar{} }') in result
+            '| }') in result
     assert ('\\hyperref[\\detokenize{baz:code22}]'
             '{Code-\\ref{\\detokenize{baz:code22}}}') in result
     assert ('\\hyperref[\\detokenize{foo:foo}]'