diff --git a/lib/handlebars/utils.js b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
index 1e0e4c90..e104dcf7 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/utils.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Handlebars.SafeString = function(string) {
   this.string = string;
 };
 Handlebars.SafeString.prototype.toString = function() {
-  return this.string.toString();
+  return "" + this.string;
 };
 
 var escape = {
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Handlebars.Utils = {
     // Force a string conversion as this will be done by the append regardless and
     // the regex test will do this transparently behind the scenes, causing issues if
     // an object's to string has escaped characters in it.
-    string = string.toString();
+    string = "" + string;
 
     if(!possible.test(string)) { return string; }
     return string.replace(badChars, escapeChar);