diff --git a/defaults.go b/defaults.go
index 362d292f..4418c4d1 100644
--- a/defaults.go
+++ b/defaults.go
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ import (
 //	}
 var DefaultJSONFormat = Format{
 	Marshal: func(w io.Writer, v any) error {
-		return json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(v)
+		enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
+		enc.SetEscapeHTML(false)
+		return enc.Encode(v)
 	},
 	Unmarshal: json.Unmarshal,
 }
diff --git a/huma_test.go b/huma_test.go
index 83e9747d..2e56a2fb 100644
--- a/huma_test.go
+++ b/huma_test.go
@@ -3002,7 +3002,7 @@ func TestCustomSchemaErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	resp := api.Post("/test", map[string]any{"test": 1})
 
 	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusUnprocessableEntity, resp.Result().StatusCode)
-	assert.Contains(t, resp.Body.String(), `expected number \u003e= 10`)
+	assert.Contains(t, resp.Body.String(), `expected number >= 10`)
 }
 
 func TestBodyRace(t *testing.T) {