diff --git a/docs/en/docs/release-notes.md b/docs/en/docs/release-notes.md
index a47b7738..88ca4a00 100644
--- a/docs/en/docs/release-notes.md
+++ b/docs/en/docs/release-notes.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ accessible via `from esmerald import Controller`.
 
 - Fix escaped " in TemplateResponse.
 - Fix TemplateResponse's auto-detection of the media-type when used directly.
+- Don't mangle strings by default for other media-types than json.
 
 ## 3.6.2
 
diff --git a/esmerald/responses/base.py b/esmerald/responses/base.py
index 2bacd09c..1865674f 100644
--- a/esmerald/responses/base.py
+++ b/esmerald/responses/base.py
@@ -192,20 +192,25 @@ def make_response(self, content: Any) -> bytes | memoryview | str:
         transform_kwargs = RESPONSE_TRANSFORM_KWARGS.get()
         if transform_kwargs:
             transform_kwargs = transform_kwargs.copy()
+        elif isinstance(content, str) and self.media_type != MediaType.JSON:
+            # treat strings special when not using json and disable mangling when no context is active.
+            transform_kwargs = None
         else:
             transform_kwargs = {}
-        transform_kwargs.setdefault(
-            "json_encode_fn",
-            partial(
-                orjson.dumps,
-                option=orjson.OPT_SERIALIZE_NUMPY | orjson.OPT_OMIT_MICROSECONDS,
-            ),
-        )
+        if transform_kwargs is not None:
+            transform_kwargs.setdefault(
+                "json_encode_fn",
+                partial(
+                    orjson.dumps,
+                    option=orjson.OPT_SERIALIZE_NUMPY | orjson.OPT_OMIT_MICROSECONDS,
+                ),
+            )
         try:
             # switch to a special mode for MediaType.JSON (default handlers)
             if self.media_type == MediaType.JSON:
                 # keep it a serialized json object
-                transform_kwargs.setdefault("post_transform_fn", None)
+                if transform_kwargs is not None:
+                    transform_kwargs.setdefault("post_transform_fn", None)
             # otherwise use default logic of lilya striping '"'
             with self.with_transform_kwargs(transform_kwargs):
                 # if content is bytes it won't be transformed and
diff --git a/tests/test_responses.py b/tests/test_responses.py
index 273cd454..e9dac76e 100644
--- a/tests/test_responses.py
+++ b/tests/test_responses.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from lilya import status
 
 from esmerald import Response
+from esmerald.enums import MediaType
 from esmerald.responses.encoders import ORJSONResponse, UJSONResponse
 from esmerald.routing.gateways import Gateway
 from esmerald.routing.handlers import get
@@ -54,6 +55,11 @@ def route_nine() -> None:
     pass
 
 
+@get("/ten", media_type=MediaType.TEXT)
+def route_ten() -> str:
+    return "hel\"'lo"
+
+
 def test_ujson_response(test_client_factory):
     with create_client(routes=[Gateway(handler=route_one)]) as client:
         response = client.get("/one")
@@ -113,6 +119,13 @@ def test_str_returnal(test_client_factory):
         assert response.text == '"hello"'
 
 
+def test_str_returnal_non_json(test_client_factory):
+    with create_client(routes=[Gateway(handler=route_ten)]) as client:
+        response = client.get("/ten")
+
+        assert response.text == "hel\"'lo"
+
+
 def test_implicit_none_returnal(test_client_factory):
     with create_client(routes=[route_nine]) as client:
         response = client.get("/nine")