diff --git a/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/DatagramPacketMessageMapper.java b/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/DatagramPacketMessageMapper.java
index 57479fb9c5..d32860235c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/DatagramPacketMessageMapper.java
+++ b/org.springframework.integration.ip/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/ip/udp/DatagramPacketMessageMapper.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class DatagramPacketMessageMapper implements InboundMessageMapper<Datagra
 	private boolean lengthCheck = false;
 
 	private static Pattern udpHeadersPattern = 
-		Pattern.compile(IpHeaders.ACK_ADDRESS + "=" + "([^;]*);\\" + 
+		Pattern.compile("\\" + IpHeaders.ACK_ADDRESS + "=" + "([^;]*);\\" + 
 				MessageHeaders.ID + "=" + "([^;]*);");