diff --git a/readthedocs/core/templatetags/core_tags.py b/readthedocs/core/templatetags/core_tags.py
index d37f4d2671d..4f33c67bda9 100644
--- a/readthedocs/core/templatetags/core_tags.py
+++ b/readthedocs/core/templatetags/core_tags.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-
 """Template tags for core app."""
 
 import hashlib
+import json
 from urllib.parse import urlencode
 
 from django import template
 from django.conf import settings
+from django.core.serializers.json import DjangoJSONEncoder
 from django.utils.encoding import force_bytes, force_text
 from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
 
@@ -112,3 +112,29 @@ def key(d, key_name):
 @register.simple_tag
 def readthedocs_version():
     return __version__
+
+
+@register.filter
+def escapejson(data, indent=None):
+    """
+    Escape JSON correctly for inclusion in Django templates
+
+    This code was mostly taken from Django's implementation
+    https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.2/ref/templates/builtins/#json-script
+    https://github.com/django/django/blob/2.2.2/django/utils/html.py#L74-L92
+
+    After upgrading to Django 2.1+, we could replace this with Django's implementation
+    although the inputs and outputs are a bit different.
+
+    Example:
+
+        var jsvar = {{ dictionary_value | escapejson }}
+    """
+    if indent:
+        indent = int(indent)
+    _json_script_escapes = {
+        ord('>'): '\\u003E',
+        ord('<'): '\\u003C',
+        ord('&'): '\\u0026',
+    }
+    return mark_safe(json.dumps(data, cls=DjangoJSONEncoder, indent=indent).translate(_json_script_escapes))
diff --git a/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py b/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py
index 3cb28f791e3..d87df6ea0db 100644
--- a/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py
+++ b/readthedocs/doc_builder/backends/mkdocs.py
@@ -226,9 +226,9 @@ def generate_rtd_data(self, docs_dir, mkdocs_config):
             'global_analytics_code': settings.GLOBAL_ANALYTICS_CODE,
             'user_analytics_code': analytics_code,
         }
-        data_json = json.dumps(readthedocs_data, indent=4)
+
         data_ctx = {
-            'data_json': data_json,
+            'readthedocs_data': readthedocs_data,
             'current_version': readthedocs_data['version'],
             'slug': readthedocs_data['project'],
             'html_theme': readthedocs_data['theme'],
diff --git a/readthedocs/doc_builder/templates/doc_builder/data.js.tmpl b/readthedocs/doc_builder/templates/doc_builder/data.js.tmpl
index 29ab61b0e65..6b3c407263c 100644
--- a/readthedocs/doc_builder/templates/doc_builder/data.js.tmpl
+++ b/readthedocs/doc_builder/templates/doc_builder/data.js.tmpl
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
-var READTHEDOCS_DATA = {{ data_json|safe }}
+{% load core_tags %}
+
+
+var READTHEDOCS_DATA = {{ readthedocs_data|escapejson:4 }}
 
 // Old variables
-var doc_version = "{{ current_version }}";
-var doc_slug = "{{ slug }}";
-var page_name = "{{ pagename }}";
-var html_theme = "{{ html_theme }}";
+var doc_version = "{{ current_version|escapejs }}";
+var doc_slug = "{{ slug|escapejs }}";
+var page_name = "{{ pagename|escapejs }}";
+var html_theme = "{{ html_theme|escapejs }}";
 
 // mkdocs_page_input_path is only defined on the RTD mkdocs theme but it isn't
 // available on all pages (e.g. missing in search result)
diff --git a/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_core_tags.py b/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_core_tags.py
index 3b9abd547c2..48c5fa85bf7 100644
--- a/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_core_tags.py
+++ b/readthedocs/rtd_tests/tests/test_core_tags.py
@@ -110,3 +110,14 @@ def test_restructured_text_invalid(self):
         )
         result = core_tags.restructuredtext(value)
         self.assertEqual(result, value)
+
+    def test_escapejson(self):
+        tests = (
+            ({}, '{}'),
+            ({'a': 'b'}, '{"a": "b"}'),
+            ({"'; //": '""'}, '{"\'; //": "\\"\\""}'),
+            ({"<script>alert('hi')</script>": ''}, '{"\\u003Cscript\\u003Ealert(\'hi\')\\u003C/script\\u003E": ""}'),
+        )
+
+        for in_value, out_value in tests:
+            self.assertEqual(core_tags.escapejson(in_value), out_value)