diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0257ac88..e05dc0eb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ where X.Y.Z is the semver of the most recent choreographer release.
 
 ### Fixed
 - Build the `ChromeNotFoundError` message as one string, so it no longer prints as a tuple [[#314](https://github.com/plotly/choreographer/pull/314)], with thanks to @Blizzeq for the contribution!
+- Escape the URL in the page-ready check, so a backtick no longer counts as a loaded page and a `${...}` sequence no longer runs as JavaScript [[#317](https://github.com/plotly/choreographer/pull/317)]
 
 
 ## [1.4.0] -- 2026-09-16
diff --git a/src/choreographer/protocol/devtools_async_helpers.py b/src/choreographer/protocol/devtools_async_helpers.py
index c1d2d250..edb42d52 100644
--- a/src/choreographer/protocol/devtools_async_helpers.py
+++ b/src/choreographer/protocol/devtools_async_helpers.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
+import json
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 import logistro
@@ -34,9 +35,9 @@ async def _check_document_ready(session: Session, url: str) -> BrowserResponse:
                 new Promise((resolve) => {
                     if (
                         (document.readyState === 'complete') &&
-                        (window.location==`"""  # CONCATENATE!
-            f"{url!s}"
-            """`)
+                        (window.location=="""  # CONCATENATE!
+            f"{json.dumps(url)}"
+            """)
                     ){
                         resolve("Was complete");
                     } else {
diff --git a/tests/test_devtools_async_helpers.py b/tests/test_devtools_async_helpers.py
index 86a83132..ecee1e7b 100644
--- a/tests/test_devtools_async_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/test_devtools_async_helpers.py
@@ -52,6 +52,23 @@ async def test_create_and_wait(browser):
         await create_and_wait(browser, url="http://192.0.2.1:9999", timeout=0.5)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_create_and_wait_escapes_url(browser):
+    """Test that create_and_wait treats JS template characters in the URL as text."""
+    _logger.info("testing create_and_wait with template characters...")
+
+    # Test 1: A backtick used to end the template literal in the ready check.
+    # The resulting SyntaxError was counted as a load, so this returned a tab
+    with pytest.raises(asyncio.TimeoutError):
+        await create_and_wait(browser, url="http://192.0.2.1:9999/`", timeout=0.5)
+
+    # Test 2: A ${...} sequence used to run as JavaScript in the page
+    url = "about:blank?${window.injected=1}"
+    tab = await create_and_wait(browser, url=url, timeout=5.0)
+    result = await execute_js_and_wait(tab, "typeof window.injected", timeout=5.0)
+    assert result["result"]["result"]["value"] == "undefined"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_navigate_and_wait(browser):
     """Test navigate_and_wait with both valid data URL and bad URL."""