diff --git a/src/solrj/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/util/ClientUtils.java b/src/solrj/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/util/ClientUtils.java
index bf65a1ae757..2f965b33fff 100644
--- a/src/solrj/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/util/ClientUtils.java
+++ b/src/solrj/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/util/ClientUtils.java
@@ -180,9 +180,9 @@ public class ClientUtils
     for (int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++) {
       char c = s.charAt(i);
       // These characters are part of the query syntax and must be escaped
-      if (c == '\\' || c == '+' || c == '-' || c == '!' || c == '(' || c == ')' || c == ':'
+      if (c == '\\' || c == '+' || c == '-' || c == '!'  || c == '(' || c == ')' || c == ':'
         || c == '^' || c == '[' || c == ']' || c == '\"' || c == '{' || c == '}' || c == '~'
-        || c == '*' || c == '?' || c == '|' || c == '&'
+        || c == '*' || c == '?' || c == '|' || c == '&'  || c == ';'
         || Character.isWhitespace(c)) {
         sb.append('\\');
       }