diff --git a/src/wp-includes/post-template.php b/src/wp-includes/post-template.php
index a571f52bc8..a4b7e3159d 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/post-template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/post-template.php
@@ -1443,7 +1443,7 @@ function wp_page_menu( $args = array() ) {
 		if ( is_front_page() && ! is_paged() ) {
 			$class = 'class="current_page_item"';
 		}
-		$menu .= '<li ' . $class . '><a href="' . home_url( '/' ) . '">' . $args['link_before'] . $text . $args['link_after'] . '</a></li>';
+		$menu .= '<li ' . $class . '><a href="' . esc_url( home_url( '/' ) ) . '">' . $args['link_before'] . $text . $args['link_after'] . '</a></li>';
 		// If the front page is a page, add it to the exclude list.
 		if ( 'page' === get_option( 'show_on_front' ) ) {
 			if ( ! empty( $list_args['exclude'] ) ) {