diff --git a/system/Helpers/array_helper.php b/system/Helpers/array_helper.php
index 71eac070167c..8819a2e2f058 100644
--- a/system/Helpers/array_helper.php
+++ b/system/Helpers/array_helper.php
@@ -26,7 +26,11 @@
 	 */
 	function dot_array_search(string $index, array $array)
 	{
-		$segments = explode('.', rtrim(rtrim($index, '* '), '.'));
+		$segments = preg_split('/(?<!\\\)\./', rtrim($index, '* '), 0, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY);
+
+		$segments = array_map(static function ($key) {
+			return str_replace('\.', '.', $key);
+		}, $segments);
 
 		return _array_search_dot($segments, $array);
 	}
diff --git a/tests/system/Helpers/ArrayHelperTest.php b/tests/system/Helpers/ArrayHelperTest.php
index 18224c1f7a13..da78001913f6 100644
--- a/tests/system/Helpers/ArrayHelperTest.php
+++ b/tests/system/Helpers/ArrayHelperTest.php
@@ -34,6 +34,21 @@ public function testArrayDotTooManyLevels()
 		$this->assertEquals(23, dot_array_search('foo.bar.baz', $data));
 	}
 
+	public function testArrayDotEscape()
+	{
+		$data = [
+			'foo'     => [
+				'bar.baz' => 23,
+			],
+			'foo.bar' => [
+				'baz' => 42,
+			],
+		];
+
+		$this->assertEquals(23, dot_array_search('foo.bar\.baz', $data));
+		$this->assertEquals(42, dot_array_search('foo\.bar.baz', $data));
+	}
+
 	public function testArrayDotReturnNullEmptyArray()
 	{
 		$data = [];
diff --git a/user_guide_src/source/helpers/array_helper.rst b/user_guide_src/source/helpers/array_helper.rst
index 096501858723..c8b77c464474 100644
--- a/user_guide_src/source/helpers/array_helper.rst
+++ b/user_guide_src/source/helpers/array_helper.rst
@@ -57,6 +57,23 @@ The following functions are available:
         // Returns: 23
         $baz = dot_array_search('foo.*.baz', $data);
 
+    If the array key contains a dot, then the key can be escaped with a backslash::
+
+        $data = [
+            'foo' => [
+                'bar.baz' => 23
+            ],
+            'foo.bar' => [
+                'baz' => 43
+            ],
+        ];
+
+        // Returns: 23
+        $barBaz = dot_array_search('foo.bar\.baz', $data);
+        // Returns: 42
+        $fooBar = dot_array_search('foo\.bar.baz', $data);
+
+
 ..  php:function:: array_deep_search($key, array $array)
 
     :param  mixed  $key: The target key