diff --git a/codegen/codegen-core/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/java/codegen/integrations/core/StringTraitInitializer.java b/codegen/codegen-core/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/java/codegen/integrations/core/StringTraitInitializer.java
index 68c707a5b..0c4b2d47a 100644
--- a/codegen/codegen-core/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/java/codegen/integrations/core/StringTraitInitializer.java
+++ b/codegen/codegen-core/src/main/java/software/amazon/smithy/java/codegen/integrations/core/StringTraitInitializer.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ public Class<StringTrait> traitClass() {
 
     @Override
     public void accept(JavaWriter writer, StringTrait stringTrait) {
-        writer.writeInline("new $T($S)", stringTrait.getClass(), stringTrait.getValue());
+        var stringValue = stringTrait.getValue().replace("£", "££");
+        writer.writeInline("new $T($S)", stringTrait.getClass(), stringValue);
     }
 }