diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/doc/usage/recipes.md b/pkg/yqlib/doc/usage/recipes.md
index 6316df32..9e75c425 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/doc/usage/recipes.md
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/doc/usage/recipes.md
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ fruit:
 then
 ```bash
 yq '.[] |(
-	( select(kind == "scalar") | key + "='" + . + "'"),
-	( select(kind == "seq") | key + "=(" + (map("'" + . + "'") | join(",")) + ")")
+	( select(kind == "scalar") | key + "='\''" + . + "'\''"),
+	( select(kind == "seq") | key + "=(" + (map("'\''" + . + "'\''") | join(",")) + ")")
 )' sample.yml
 ```
 will output
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ deep:
 then
 ```bash
 yq '.. |(
-	( select(kind == "scalar" and parent | kind != "seq") | (path | join("_")) + "='" + . + "'"),
-	( select(kind == "seq") | (path | join("_")) + "=(" + (map("'" + . + "'") | join(",")) + ")")
+	( select(kind == "scalar" and parent | kind != "seq") | (path | join("_")) + "='\''" + . + "'\''"),
+	( select(kind == "seq") | (path | join("_")) + "=(" + (map("'\''" + . + "'\''") | join(",")) + ")")
 )' sample.yml
 ```
 will output
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operators_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operators_test.go
index 9de2bbc4..01562fd8 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operators_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operators_test.go
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ func documentInput(w *bufio.Writer, s expressionScenario) (string, string) {
 		writeOrPanic(w, "then\n")
 
 		if s.expression != "" {
-			writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```bash\n%vyq %v'%v' %v\n```\n", envCommand, command, s.expression, files))
+			writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```bash\n%vyq %v'%v' %v\n```\n", envCommand, command, strings.ReplaceAll(s.expression, "'", `'\''`), files))
 		} else {
 			writeOrPanic(w, fmt.Sprintf("```bash\n%vyq %v%v\n```\n", envCommand, command, files))
 		}