diff --git a/agentrace/cli.py b/agentrace/cli.py
index 476759c..2aef482 100644
--- a/agentrace/cli.py
+++ b/agentrace/cli.py
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ def cmd_check(args) -> int:
         flagged += 1
         total_findings += len(findings)
         console.print(
-            f"\n[bold]{r.description or '(no description)'}[/] [dim]{r.tool_use_id[-8:]}[/]"
+            f"\n[bold]{escape(r.description or '(no description)')}[/] [dim]{r.tool_use_id[-8:]}[/]"
         )
         for f in findings:
             colour = _SEV_COLOUR.get(f.severity, "white")
-            console.print(f"  [{colour}]{f.severity:<6}[/] [bold]{f.check}[/]  {f.message}")
+            console.print(f"  [{colour}]{f.severity:<6}[/] [bold]{escape(f.check)}[/]  {escape(f.message)}")
             if f.evidence:
-                console.print(f"         [dim]{f.evidence}[/]")
+                console.print(f"         [dim]{escape(f.evidence)}[/]")
 
     console.print(
         f"\n[bold]{flagged}/{len(runs)}[/] runs flagged, {total_findings} findings. "
@@ -119,18 +119,18 @@ def cmd_show(args) -> int:
         console.print(f"[red]No run matching {args.id!r}[/]")
         return 1
     r = match[0]
-    console.print(f"[bold]{r.description}[/]  [dim]{r.tool_use_id}[/]")
+    console.print(f"[bold]{escape(r.description)}[/]  [dim]{escape(r.tool_use_id)}[/]")
     console.print(f"[dim]duration: {r.duration_s}s | background: {r.background}[/]\n")
     console.print("[bold cyan]PROMPT[/]")
-    console.print(r.prompt[: args.max] or "[dim](empty)[/]")
+    console.print(escape(r.prompt[: args.max]) if r.prompt[: args.max] else "[dim](empty)[/]")
     console.print("\n[bold cyan]RESULT[/]")
-    console.print(r.result[: args.max] or "[dim](empty)[/]")
+    console.print(escape(r.result[: args.max]) if r.result[: args.max] else "[dim](empty)[/]")
     findings = analyse(r)
     if findings:
         console.print("\n[bold cyan]FINDINGS[/]")
         for f in findings:
             colour = _SEV_COLOUR.get(f.severity, "white")
-            console.print(f"  [{colour}]{f.severity:<6}[/] {f.check}: {f.message}")
+            console.print(f"  [{colour}]{f.severity:<6}[/] {escape(f.check)}: {escape(f.message)}")
     return 0
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 28b0de3..5d7241f 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -136,3 +136,19 @@ def test_version():
     result = run_cli("--version")
     assert result.returncode == 0
     assert "0.1.0" in result.stdout
+
+
+def test_check_prints_bracketed_description_literally(monkeypatch, capsys):
+    start = datetime(2026, 1, 1, tzinfo=UTC)
+    run = AgentRun(
+        tool_use_id="toolu_test123456",
+        description="run [bold]pwned[/bold] test",
+        prompt="x" * 500,
+        result="I could not complete the task because access was denied.",
+        started_at=start,
+        ended_at=start + timedelta(seconds=1),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli, "_load", lambda args: [run])
+
+    assert cli.cmd_check(Namespace(severity=None, strict=False)) == 0
+    assert "run [bold]pwned[/bold] test" in capsys.readouterr().out