diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/command/index.ts b/packages/opencode/src/command/index.ts
index 976f1cd51e9..701630e9367 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/command/index.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/command/index.ts
@@ -42,11 +42,13 @@ export namespace Command {
 
   export function hints(template: string): string[] {
     const result: string[] = []
-    const numbered = template.match(/\$\d+/g)
+    // Remove escaped placeholders before detection
+    const processed = template.replaceAll("\\$", "\x00")
+    const numbered = processed.match(/\$\d+/g)
     if (numbered) {
       for (const match of [...new Set(numbered)].sort()) result.push(match)
     }
-    if (template.includes("$ARGUMENTS")) result.push("$ARGUMENTS")
+    if (processed.includes("$ARGUMENTS")) result.push("$ARGUMENTS")
     return result
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/session/prompt.ts b/packages/opencode/src/session/prompt.ts
index 587f9498008..4e950572c4f 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/session/prompt.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/session/prompt.ts
@@ -1598,6 +1598,15 @@ NOTE: At any point in time through this workflow you should feel free to ask the
   const argsRegex = /(?:\[Image\s+\d+\]|"[^"]*"|'[^']*'|[^\s"']+)/gi
   const placeholderRegex = /\$(\d+)/g
   const quoteTrimRegex = /^["']|["']$/g
+
+  // Marker for escape processing
+  const DOLLAR_MARKER = "\x00DLR\x00"
+
+  export function processEscapes(template: string): { processed: string; restore: (s: string) => string } {
+    const processed = template.replaceAll("\\$", DOLLAR_MARKER)
+    const restore = (s: string) => s.replaceAll(DOLLAR_MARKER, "$")
+    return { processed, restore }
+  }
   /**
    * Regular expression to match @ file references in text
    * Matches @ followed by file paths, excluding commas, periods at end of sentences, and backticks
@@ -1614,7 +1623,10 @@ NOTE: At any point in time through this workflow you should feel free to ask the
 
     const templateCommand = await command.template
 
-    const placeholders = templateCommand.match(placeholderRegex) ?? []
+    // Process escapes before substitution
+    const { processed, restore } = processEscapes(templateCommand)
+
+    const placeholders = processed.match(placeholderRegex) ?? []
     let last = 0
     for (const item of placeholders) {
       const value = Number(item.slice(1))
@@ -1622,15 +1634,15 @@ NOTE: At any point in time through this workflow you should feel free to ask the
     }
 
     // Let the final placeholder swallow any extra arguments so prompts read naturally
-    const withArgs = templateCommand.replaceAll(placeholderRegex, (_, index) => {
+    const withArgs = processed.replaceAll(placeholderRegex, (_, index) => {
       const position = Number(index)
       const argIndex = position - 1
       if (argIndex >= args.length) return ""
       if (position === last) return args.slice(argIndex).join(" ")
       return args[argIndex]
     })
-    const usesArgumentsPlaceholder = templateCommand.includes("$ARGUMENTS")
-    let template = withArgs.replaceAll("$ARGUMENTS", input.arguments)
+    const usesArgumentsPlaceholder = processed.includes("$ARGUMENTS")
+    let template = restore(withArgs.replaceAll("$ARGUMENTS", input.arguments))
 
     // If command doesn't explicitly handle arguments (no $N or $ARGUMENTS placeholders)
     // but user provided arguments, append them to the template
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/session/prompt.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/session/prompt.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8817c315787
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/session/prompt.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
+import { SessionPrompt } from "../../src/session/prompt"
+import { Command } from "../../src/command"
+
+describe("session.prompt", () => {
+  describe("processEscapes", () => {
+    test("escapes \\$1 to literal $1", () => {
+      const { processed, restore } = SessionPrompt.processEscapes("\\$1")
+      expect(restore(processed)).toBe("$1")
+    })
+
+    test("escapes \\$ARGUMENTS to literal $ARGUMENTS", () => {
+      const { processed, restore } = SessionPrompt.processEscapes("\\$ARGUMENTS")
+      expect(restore(processed)).toBe("$ARGUMENTS")
+    })
+
+    test("leaves unescaped $1 intact for substitution", () => {
+      const { processed, restore } = SessionPrompt.processEscapes("$1")
+      expect(processed).toBe("$1")
+      expect(restore(processed)).toBe("$1")
+    })
+
+    test("leaves unescaped $ARGUMENTS intact for substitution", () => {
+      const { processed, restore } = SessionPrompt.processEscapes("$ARGUMENTS")
+      expect(processed).toBe("$ARGUMENTS")
+      expect(restore(processed)).toBe("$ARGUMENTS")
+    })
+
+    test("mixed escaped and unescaped placeholders", () => {
+      const { processed, restore } = SessionPrompt.processEscapes("Use \\$1 for first arg: $1")
+      expect(processed.includes("$1")).toBe(true)
+      const substituted = processed.replace("$1", "foo")
+      expect(restore(substituted)).toBe("Use $1 for first arg: foo")
+    })
+
+    test("preserves other escape sequences like \\n", () => {
+      const { processed, restore } = SessionPrompt.processEscapes("\\n stays \\n")
+      expect(restore(processed)).toBe("\\n stays \\n")
+    })
+  })
+})
+
+describe("command.hints", () => {
+  test("detects unescaped $1 placeholder", () => {
+    expect(Command.hints("Use $1 here")).toEqual(["$1"])
+  })
+
+  test("detects unescaped $ARGUMENTS placeholder", () => {
+    expect(Command.hints("Use $ARGUMENTS here")).toEqual(["$ARGUMENTS"])
+  })
+
+  test("detects multiple placeholders", () => {
+    expect(Command.hints("Use $1 and $2")).toEqual(["$1", "$2"])
+  })
+
+  test("ignores escaped \\$1 placeholder", () => {
+    expect(Command.hints("Use \\$1 here")).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  test("ignores escaped \\$ARGUMENTS placeholder", () => {
+    expect(Command.hints("Use \\$ARGUMENTS here")).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  test("mixed escaped and unescaped placeholders", () => {
+    expect(Command.hints("Use \\$1 for docs but $2 for substitution")).toEqual(["$2"])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/web/src/content/docs/commands.mdx b/packages/web/src/content/docs/commands.mdx
index 1d7e4f1c21a..7fe86eb72a3 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/content/docs/commands.mdx
+++ b/packages/web/src/content/docs/commands.mdx
@@ -161,6 +161,15 @@ This replaces:
 
 ---
 
+### Escaping placeholders
+
+To include literal `$1`, `$ARGUMENTS`, etc. in your template without substitution, escape the `$` with a backslash:
+
+- `\$1` → literal `$1`
+- `\$ARGUMENTS` → literal `$ARGUMENTS`
+
+---
+
 ### Shell output
 
 Use _!`command`_ to inject [bash command](/docs/tui#bash-commands) output into your prompt.