diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index d7e2931e1..b2e724c54 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ S3method(sql_escape_datetime,DBIConnection)
 S3method(sql_escape_datetime,MariaDBConnection)
 S3method(sql_escape_datetime,MySQL)
 S3method(sql_escape_datetime,MySQLConnection)
+S3method(sql_escape_ident,MySQLConnection)
 S3method(sql_escape_ident,TestConnection)
 S3method(sql_escape_ident,default)
 S3method(sql_escape_logical,"Microsoft SQL Server")
diff --git a/R/backend-mysql.R b/R/backend-mysql.R
index 2cf4ab963..427c33f19 100644
--- a/R/backend-mysql.R
+++ b/R/backend-mysql.R
@@ -263,6 +263,20 @@ sql_escape_datetime.MySQLConnection <- sql_escape_datetime.MariaDBConnection
 #' @export
 sql_escape_datetime.MySQL <- sql_escape_datetime.MariaDBConnection
 
+
+# dbQuoteIdentifier() for RMySQL lacks handling of SQL objects
+#' @export
+sql_escape_ident.MySQLConnection <- function(con, x) {
+  if (!isS4(con)) { # for simulate_mysql()
+    NextMethod()
+  } else if (methods::is(x, "SQL")) {
+    x
+  } else {
+    DBI::dbQuoteIdentifier(con, x)
+  }
+}
+
+
 #' @export
 supports_window_clause.MariaDBConnection <- function(con) {
   TRUE