diff --git a/markdownify/__init__.py b/markdownify/__init__.py
index 2c8327b..3bb345a 100644
--- a/markdownify/__init__.py
+++ b/markdownify/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@ from lxml.etree import tostring
 from lxml.html.soupparser import fromstring
 
 
+def escape(text):
+    if not text:
+        return ''
+    return text.replace('_', r'\_')
+
+
 class MarkdownConverter(object):
     def __init__(self, strip=None, keep=None):
         if strip is not None and keep is not None:
@@ -16,20 +22,20 @@ class MarkdownConverter(object):
         return soup.text
 
     def convert_tag(self, node):
-        text = node.text or ''
+        text = escape(node.text)
 
         # Convert the children first
         for el in node.findall('*'):
             self.convert_tag(el)
 
             convert_fn = getattr(self, 'convert_%s' % el.tag, None)
-            tail = el.tail or ''
+            tail = escape(el.tail)
             el.tail = ''
 
             if convert_fn:
                 text += convert_fn(el)
             else:
-                text += el.text or ''
+                text += el.text
 
             text += tail
 
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index b1e96b1..5cb370d 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ class BasicTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_soup(self):
         self.assertEqual(md('<div><span>Hello</div></span>'), 'Hello')
 
+    def test_escape(self):
+        self.assertEqual(md('_hey_dude_'), '\_hey\_dude\_')
+
 
 class ConversionTests(unittest.TestCase):