diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
index a2be7cbd805e..982c867ec3b7 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
@@ -1140,7 +1140,7 @@ class PercentFormatter(Formatter):
     def __init__(self, xmax=100, decimals=None, symbol='%'):
         self.xmax = xmax + 0.0
         self.decimals = decimals
-        self.symbol = symbol
+        self.symbol = symbol.replace('%', r'\%') if rcParams['text.usetex'] else symbol
 
     def __call__(self, x, pos=None):
         """