diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Org.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Org.hs
index 3b6b0673f..2676fadc8 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Org.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Writers/Org.hs
@@ -548,7 +548,13 @@ inlineToOrg (Cite cs lst) = do
                    _ -> mempty
        return $ "[cite" <> sty <> ":" <> citeItems <> "]"
      else inlineListToOrg lst
-inlineToOrg (Code _ str) = return $ "=" <> literal str <> "="
+inlineToOrg (Code _ str) = return $
+  -- Org offers no escape mechanism inside verbatim text; if the
+  -- content contains the delimiter, fall back to the other verbatim
+  -- delimiter.
+  if "=" `T.isInfixOf` str && not ("~" `T.isInfixOf` str)
+     then "~" <> literal str <> "~"
+     else "=" <> literal str <> "="
 inlineToOrg (Str str) = do
   opts <- gets stOptions
   let str' = if isEnabled Ext_smart opts || isEnabled Ext_special_strings opts
diff --git a/test/writer.org b/test/writer.org
index 8c2974752..eb43db2b9 100644
--- a/test/writer.org
+++ b/test/writer.org
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ Ellipses...and...and....
 
 These shouldn't be math:
 
-- To get the famous equation, write =$e = mc^2$=.
+- To get the famous equation, write ~$e = mc^2$~.
 - $22,000 is a /lot/ of money. So is $34,000. (It worked if “lot” is
   emphasized.)
 - Shoes ($20) and socks ($5).