diff --git a/src/CsvWriter.php b/src/CsvWriter.php
index fcdb8f5..1eb53a6 100644
--- a/src/CsvWriter.php
+++ b/src/CsvWriter.php
@@ -33,14 +33,20 @@ class CsvWriter extends AbstractStreamWriter
      */
     protected $prependHeaderRow;
 
+    /**
+     * @var string
+     */
+    private $escape;
+
     /**
      * @param string   $delimiter The delimiter
      * @param string   $enclosure The enclosure
      * @param resource $stream
      * @param boolean  $utf8Encoding
      * @param boolean  $prependHeaderRow
+     * @param string   $escape The escape character (pass '' for PHP 8.4+ preferred "no escape" behavior)
      */
-    public function __construct($delimiter = ',', $enclosure = '"', $stream = null, $utf8Encoding = false, $prependHeaderRow = false)
+    public function __construct($delimiter = ',', $enclosure = '"', $stream = null, $utf8Encoding = false, $prependHeaderRow = false, string $escape = '\\')
     {
         parent::__construct($stream);
 
@@ -48,6 +54,7 @@ public function __construct($delimiter = ',', $enclosure = '"', $stream = null,
         $this->enclosure = $enclosure;
         $this->utf8Encoding = $utf8Encoding;
         $this->prependHeaderRow = $prependHeaderRow;
+        $this->escape = $escape;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -67,9 +74,9 @@ public function writeItem(array $item): void
     {
         if ($this->prependHeaderRow && 1 == $this->row++) {
             $headers = array_keys($item);
-            fputcsv($this->getStream(), $headers, $this->delimiter, $this->enclosure);
+            fputcsv($this->getStream(), $headers, $this->delimiter, $this->enclosure, $this->escape);
         }
 
-        fputcsv($this->getStream(), $item, $this->delimiter, $this->enclosure);
+        fputcsv($this->getStream(), $item, $this->delimiter, $this->enclosure, $this->escape);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/CsvWriterTest.php b/tests/CsvWriterTest.php
index 6556ba9..287109d 100644
--- a/tests/CsvWriterTest.php
+++ b/tests/CsvWriterTest.php
@@ -97,4 +97,79 @@ public function testHeaderPrependedWhenOptionSetToTrue()
         );
         $writer->finish();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Proves escape is applied: default '\\' and empty-string escape produce different CSV
+     * for a field that contains a backslash before a quote.
+     *
+     * Also exercises that fputcsv receives an explicit $escape argument, which is required
+     * on PHP 8.4+ (omitting it is deprecated; phpunit.xml converts deprecations to exceptions).
+     */
+    public function testEscapeParameterAffectsOutput()
+    {
+        $item = array('a\\"b');
+
+        $defaultWriter = new CsvWriter(',', '"', fopen('php://temp', 'r+'));
+        $defaultWriter->setCloseStreamOnFinish(false);
+        $defaultWriter->prepare();
+        $defaultWriter->writeItem($item);
+        $defaultOutput = $this->readWriterContents($defaultWriter);
+
+        $emptyEscapeWriter = new CsvWriter(',', '"', fopen('php://temp', 'r+'), false, false, '');
+        $emptyEscapeWriter->setCloseStreamOnFinish(false);
+        $emptyEscapeWriter->prepare();
+        $emptyEscapeWriter->writeItem($item);
+        $emptyOutput = $this->readWriterContents($emptyEscapeWriter);
+
+        $this->assertNotSame(
+            $defaultOutput,
+            $emptyOutput,
+            'Custom escape should change CSV encoding of fields containing backslash/quote'
+        );
+
+        $this->assertSame($this->fputcsvString($item, '\\'), $defaultOutput);
+        $this->assertSame($this->fputcsvString($item, ''), $emptyOutput);
+
+        fclose($defaultWriter->getStream());
+        fclose($emptyEscapeWriter->getStream());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Empty escape is usable for modern "no escape" CSV and does not trigger PHP 8.4+
+     * fputcsv deprecation (which phpunit.xml converts to exceptions).
+     */
+    public function testEmptyEscapeWritesWithoutDeprecation()
+    {
+        $writer = new CsvWriter(',', '"', $this->getStream(), false, false, '');
+        $writer->prepare();
+        $writer->writeItem(array('hello', 'world'));
+        $writer->writeItem(array('say "hi"', 'path\\to'));
+
+        $this->assertContentsEquals(
+            $this->fputcsvString(array('hello', 'world'), '') .
+            $this->fputcsvString(array('say "hi"', 'path\\to'), ''),
+            $writer
+        );
+
+        $writer->finish();
+    }
+
+    private function readWriterContents(CsvWriter $writer)
+    {
+        $stream = $writer->getStream();
+        rewind($stream);
+
+        return stream_get_contents($stream);
+    }
+
+    private function fputcsvString(array $fields, $escape)
+    {
+        $stream = fopen('php://temp', 'r+');
+        fputcsv($stream, $fields, ',', '"', $escape);
+        rewind($stream);
+        $contents = stream_get_contents($stream);
+        fclose($stream);
+
+        return $contents;
+    }
 }